Nanayakkara, Ranil,de Mel, Ruvinda,Kusuminda, Tharaka,Cabral de Mel, Surendranie
Surface and dive times of the Blue Whale ( Journal Article
In: NeBIO I An international journal of environment and biodiversity, vol. Vol. 5, No. 4, no. 177, pp. 1-3, 2014.
Abstract | BibTeX | Tags: Arabian Sea, balaenoptera musculus, Blue whale, dive duration, dive time, feeding, Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, Surfacing behaviour
@article{,
title = {Surface and dive times of the Blue Whale (},
author = {Nanayakkara, Ranil,de Mel, Ruvinda,Kusuminda, Tharaka,Cabral de Mel, Surendranie},
year = {2014},
date = {2014-01-01},
journal = {NeBIO I An international journal of environment and biodiversity},
volume = {Vol. 5, No. 4},
number = {177},
pages = {1-3},
abstract = {Dive times of a single Blue Whale observed in Trincomalee Bay, Sri Lanka, in relation to the abiotic parameters of the bay’s waters and its ability to support large densities of krill from May 2011 to July 2011. Thirty five total dives were observed and its mean dive time was 9.6 ± 0.31 min. The observed whale’s feeding dives lasted longer than what has been previously recorded for blue whales in the Pacific Ocean. The mean salinity, Mean Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and mean temperature of Trincomalee Bay was respectively 28.1± 4.8 ppt, 9.92 ± 0.3 mg/L and 28.81 ± 0.96 0 C. All studied abiotic parameters of Trincomalee Bay show that it is able to support large concentrations of krill. Trincomalee Bay thus seems to serve as a highly productive hunting ground for Blue Whales in the northern Indian Ocean.},
keywords = {Arabian Sea, balaenoptera musculus, Blue whale, dive duration, dive time, feeding, Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, Surfacing behaviour},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Dive times of a single Blue Whale observed in Trincomalee Bay, Sri Lanka, in relation to the abiotic parameters of the bay’s waters and its ability to support large densities of krill from May 2011 to July 2011. Thirty five total dives were observed and its mean dive time was 9.6 ± 0.31 min. The observed whale’s feeding dives lasted longer than what has been previously recorded for blue whales in the Pacific Ocean. The mean salinity, Mean Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and mean temperature of Trincomalee Bay was respectively 28.1± 4.8 ppt, 9.92 ± 0.3 mg/L and 28.81 ± 0.96 0 C. All studied abiotic parameters of Trincomalee Bay show that it is able to support large concentrations of krill. Trincomalee Bay thus seems to serve as a highly productive hunting ground for Blue Whales in the northern Indian Ocean.
de Vos, Asha,Christiansen, Fredrik,Harcourt, Robert G.,Pattiaratchi, Charitha B.
Surfacing characteristics and diving behaviour of blue whales in Sri Lankan waters Journal Article
In: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, vol. 449, no. 83, pp. 149-153, 2013, ISBN: 0022-0981.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Arabian Sea, availability bias, balaenoptera musculus, Blue whale, Markov chains, Monte Carlo, Northern Indian Ocean, ship strike, Surfacing behaviour, Whale watching
@article{,
title = {Surfacing characteristics and diving behaviour of blue whales in Sri Lankan waters},
author = {de Vos, Asha,Christiansen, Fredrik,Harcourt, Robert G.,Pattiaratchi, Charitha B.},
url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022098113003298},
issn = {0022-0981},
year = {2013},
date = {2013-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology},
volume = {449},
number = {83},
pages = {149-153},
abstract = {Surfacing behaviour and dive characteristics were quantified from focal follows of individual blue whales between January–March 2012 and 2013. During this period individual whales were followed from small boats to observe their surfacing patterns and breathing behaviour. Data on time at first surface, length of surface interval, number of blows, final dive time and whether or not the whale ‘fluked up’ before a deep dive were recorded. A step-wise modelling approach was used to estimate a number of surfacing characteristics: mean Inter-Breath Interval (IBI), bout duration and the number of surfacings in a bout. First, dives were classified as either surface dives or deep dives based on the occurrence of arching or fluking behaviour at the surface prior to a deep dive. The mean IBI of surface dives was 17.6s (SD=26.14) and for deep dives, 640.3s (SD=214.38). To account for temporal dependence between dive types, a first-order Markov chain was used to estimate the transition probability between dive types. Time series of dive types were then simulated, using Monte Carlo methods, while accounting for heterogeneity in IBI of the different dive types. The mean IBI of blue whales in Sri Lanka, obtained from the Monte Carlo methods, was 84.7s (SD=11.17). The mean bout duration was 145s (SD=28.31), with the mean number of breaths per surface bout being 9.3 (SD=1.43). Whales also lifted their tail flukes out of the water on 55% of terminal dives, which is considerably more frequent than elsewhere in the world. These results significantly advance our understanding of blue whales in Sri Lankan waters. More specifically, this information is essential for the calculation of precise abundance estimates as it informs the detection probability parameters for line transect surveys. In this way it will help formulate better management decisions related to the conservation of this population.},
keywords = {Arabian Sea, availability bias, balaenoptera musculus, Blue whale, Markov chains, Monte Carlo, Northern Indian Ocean, ship strike, Surfacing behaviour, Whale watching},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Surfacing behaviour and dive characteristics were quantified from focal follows of individual blue whales between January–March 2012 and 2013. During this period individual whales were followed from small boats to observe their surfacing patterns and breathing behaviour. Data on time at first surface, length of surface interval, number of blows, final dive time and whether or not the whale ‘fluked up’ before a deep dive were recorded. A step-wise modelling approach was used to estimate a number of surfacing characteristics: mean Inter-Breath Interval (IBI), bout duration and the number of surfacings in a bout. First, dives were classified as either surface dives or deep dives based on the occurrence of arching or fluking behaviour at the surface prior to a deep dive. The mean IBI of surface dives was 17.6s (SD=26.14) and for deep dives, 640.3s (SD=214.38). To account for temporal dependence between dive types, a first-order Markov chain was used to estimate the transition probability between dive types. Time series of dive types were then simulated, using Monte Carlo methods, while accounting for heterogeneity in IBI of the different dive types. The mean IBI of blue whales in Sri Lanka, obtained from the Monte Carlo methods, was 84.7s (SD=11.17). The mean bout duration was 145s (SD=28.31), with the mean number of breaths per surface bout being 9.3 (SD=1.43). Whales also lifted their tail flukes out of the water on 55% of terminal dives, which is considerably more frequent than elsewhere in the world. These results significantly advance our understanding of blue whales in Sri Lankan waters. More specifically, this information is essential for the calculation of precise abundance estimates as it informs the detection probability parameters for line transect surveys. In this way it will help formulate better management decisions related to the conservation of this population.