Anderson,R.C.,Shaan,A.,Waheed,Z.
Records of cetacean "strandings" from the Maldives Journal Article
In: Journal of South Asian Natural History, vol. 4, no. 12, pp. 187-202, 1999.
Abstract | BibTeX | Tags: Arabian Sea, Blue whale, blue whales, Central Indian Ocean, Indian Ocean, Maldives, sperm whales, Strandings
@article{,
title = {Records of cetacean "strandings" from the Maldives},
author = {Anderson,R.C.,Shaan,A.,Waheed,Z.},
year = {1999},
date = {1999-01-01},
journal = {Journal of South Asian Natural History},
volume = {4},
number = {12},
pages = {187-202},
abstract = {Published records of 26 cetacean strandings are reviewed, and an additional 56 records are presented. the sperm whale is the most frequently reported species, accounting for about half of all reported strandings. Blue whales most often strand on Maldivian and other south Asian coasts during January to April; we suggest that they migrate from the central Indian Ocean to the western Arabian Sea to feed on upwelling-associated plankton during July to October. Eight other species are positively identified, including the gingko-toothed beaked whale. Floating carcasses of dead cetaceans drift with the monsoon currents and so are found most commonly off the west coast during the southwest monsoon season, and off the east coast during the northeast monsoon season. Cetaceans are not hunted in the Maldives, but there is evidence that some cetaceans killed by the fishing activities of other countries drift into Maldivian waters.},
keywords = {Arabian Sea, Blue whale, blue whales, Central Indian Ocean, Indian Ocean, Maldives, sperm whales, Strandings},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Published records of 26 cetacean strandings are reviewed, and an additional 56 records are presented. the sperm whale is the most frequently reported species, accounting for about half of all reported strandings. Blue whales most often strand on Maldivian and other south Asian coasts during January to April; we suggest that they migrate from the central Indian Ocean to the western Arabian Sea to feed on upwelling-associated plankton during July to October. Eight other species are positively identified, including the gingko-toothed beaked whale. Floating carcasses of dead cetaceans drift with the monsoon currents and so are found most commonly off the west coast during the southwest monsoon season, and off the east coast during the northeast monsoon season. Cetaceans are not hunted in the Maldives, but there is evidence that some cetaceans killed by the fishing activities of other countries drift into Maldivian waters.
Brown,S.G.
Whales observed in the Indian Ocean: notes on their distribution Journal Article
In: The Marine Observer, vol. 27, no. 339, pp. 157-165, 1957.
Abstract | BibTeX | Tags: Antarctic, Arabian Sea, Australia, baleen whales, Central Indian Ocean, cetacean, density, Distribution, Gulf of Aden, Humpback Whale, humpback whales, India, Indian Ocean, Oman, population, South Africa, Southern Hemisphere, sperm whale, sperm whales, whale, whales
@article{,
title = {Whales observed in the Indian Ocean: notes on their distribution},
author = {Brown,S.G.},
year = {1957},
date = {1957-01-01},
journal = {The Marine Observer},
volume = {27},
number = {339},
pages = {157-165},
abstract = {The paper provides a summary of the results of a questionnaire put to merchant ships and other vessels, 80 of which provided their track data. These vessels apparently had someone on watch during all daylight hours and reported all their cetacean sightings. The authors feel confident that while some sightings could not be identified to species level, a distinction could be drawn between sperm, humpback and "rorqual" whales. The "search effort" and sightings of the ships are plotted in the paper, with the majority of search effort and a high concentration of sightings occurring in the Gulf of Aden and S coast of Oman. Only two humpback whale sightings are recorded for the Northern Arabian sea - one near the horn of Africa/Somalia, and one near Sharbitat/Likbe. An additional string 4 of humpback whale sightings are recorded off the SW coast of India in the region of the Laccadive Islands.The author himself concludes: "There is apparently no great difference in the overall density of the large whale populations per unit area north and south of the equator. The highest concentrations of whales in the Indian Ocean occur in the Gulf of Aden and its approaches, the Arabian Sea and in the zone between South Africa and Australia. The least concentration is found in the Central Indian Ocean. In summer the concentration of baleen whales in the Antarctic is very many times greater than in the Indian Ocean but there is much less difference in winter . The number of sperm whales in the ocean as a whole seems not to outnumber that of the different species of baleen whales combined. Humpback whales and rorquals are found unexpectedly far north, on the supposition that they all belong to the southern hemisphere populations. Rorquals have been observed right across the 30ø to 40ø S. zone between South Africa and Australia where ships might be expected to intercept them occasionally during their migrations."},
keywords = {Antarctic, Arabian Sea, Australia, baleen whales, Central Indian Ocean, cetacean, density, Distribution, Gulf of Aden, Humpback Whale, humpback whales, India, Indian Ocean, Oman, population, South Africa, Southern Hemisphere, sperm whale, sperm whales, whale, whales},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The paper provides a summary of the results of a questionnaire put to merchant ships and other vessels, 80 of which provided their track data. These vessels apparently had someone on watch during all daylight hours and reported all their cetacean sightings. The authors feel confident that while some sightings could not be identified to species level, a distinction could be drawn between sperm, humpback and "rorqual" whales. The "search effort" and sightings of the ships are plotted in the paper, with the majority of search effort and a high concentration of sightings occurring in the Gulf of Aden and S coast of Oman. Only two humpback whale sightings are recorded for the Northern Arabian sea - one near the horn of Africa/Somalia, and one near Sharbitat/Likbe. An additional string 4 of humpback whale sightings are recorded off the SW coast of India in the region of the Laccadive Islands.The author himself concludes: "There is apparently no great difference in the overall density of the large whale populations per unit area north and south of the equator. The highest concentrations of whales in the Indian Ocean occur in the Gulf of Aden and its approaches, the Arabian Sea and in the zone between South Africa and Australia. The least concentration is found in the Central Indian Ocean. In summer the concentration of baleen whales in the Antarctic is very many times greater than in the Indian Ocean but there is much less difference in winter . The number of sperm whales in the ocean as a whole seems not to outnumber that of the different species of baleen whales combined. Humpback whales and rorquals are found unexpectedly far north, on the supposition that they all belong to the southern hemisphere populations. Rorquals have been observed right across the 30ø to 40ø S. zone between South Africa and Australia where ships might be expected to intercept them occasionally during their migrations."