@article{,

title = {Tattoo-like skin disease in the endangered subpopulation of the Humpback Whale, },

author = {Van Bressem, Marie-Françoise,Minton, Gianna,Collins, Tim,Willson, Andrew,Baldwin, Robert,Van Waerebeek, Koen},

url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2014.994316},

issn = {0939-7140},

year  = {2014},

date = {2014-01-01},

journal = {Zoology in the Middle East},

number = {489},

pages = {1-8},

publisher = {Taylor & Francis},

abstract = {The presence of tattoo-like skin disease is reported in an endangered, non-migratory subpopulation of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from Oman. We examined 522 images taken during small-boat surveys in the Gulf of Masirah and in Dhofar in 2000-2006 and in 2010-2011. Tattoo-like lesions were detected in regular, good and outstanding images. They appeared as irregular or rounded, light grey marks often showing a whitish outline, and were located on the flanks, dorsum, dorsal fin and caudal peduncle. They could be relatively small to very large and cover up to an estimated 40% of the visible body surface. Over the whole study period disease prevalence reached 21.7% in 60 whales and 16.7% in 36 adults. In this category, prevalence was higher in males (26.7%, N=15) than in females (9.1%, N=11), but the difference was not significant. Lesions appeared larger in males than in the positive female and progressed in two males. Disease prevalence increased significantly from 2000 through 2011 (r2 =0.998). Advanced tattoo skin disease, with lesions extending over more than 10% of the visible body surface seemed to occur more frequently in 2010-2011 than in 2000-2006, but samples were small. This is the first confirmed report of tattoo-like disease in the Balaenopteridae family and the first time it is documented in the Arabian Sea. The disease high prevalence, its increase over time and its progression in some individuals are of concern.},

keywords = {Arabian Sea, health, Humpback Whale, lesions, megaptera novaeangliae, Oman, photo-ID, skin, tattoo, Threats},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {A note on the comparison of humpback whale tail fluke catalogues from the Sultanate of Oman with Madagascar and the East African Mainland},

author = {Minton,G.,Cherchio, S.,Collins,T.J.Q.,Ersts, P.J.,Findlay,K.P.,Pomilla, C.,Bennett, D.,Meyer, M.,Razafindrakoto, Y.,Kotze, D.,Oosthuizen, H.,Leslie, M.,Andrianarivelo, N.,Baldwin,R.M.,Ponnampalam, L.,Rosenbaum, H.C.},

year  = {2010},

date = {2010-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Cetacean Research and Management},

volume = {11},

number = {408},

pages = {65-68},

abstract = {The photo-identification catalogue of humpback whale tail flukes from Oman was compared with those from Antongil Bay, Madagascar and study

sites in South Africa and Mozambique collectively termed the ‘East African Mainland’. No matches were found, supporting other lines of evidence

that the humpback whales studied off the coast of Oman form part of a discrete Arabian Sea population, which adheres to a Northern Hemisphere

breeding cycle, and has little or no ongoing exchange with the nearest neighbouring populations in the southern Indian Ocean.While the sample size

from Oman is small, and low levels of ongoing exchange might not be detected in this type of catalogue comparison, the study nonetheless emphasises

the need to pursue research and conservation efforts in the known and suspected range of the Endangered Arabian Sea humpback whale population.},

keywords = {Arabian Sea, Humpback Whale, humpback whales, Indian Ocean, Madagascar, megaptera novaeangliae, Mozambique, Northern Hemisphere, Oman, photo-ID, population identity, South Africa},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}