Return of large fin whale feeding aggregations to historical whaling grounds in the Southern Ocean.

ABSTRACT: Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus quoyi) of the Southern Hemisphere were brought to near extinction by twentieth century industrial whaling. For decades, they had all but disappeared from previously highly frequented feeding grounds in Antarctic waters. Our dedicated surveys now confirm their return to ancestral feeding grounds, gathering at the Antarctic Peninsula in large aggregations to feed. We report on the results of an abundance survey and present the first scientific documentation of large fin whale feeding aggregations at Elephant Island, Antarctica, including the first ever video documentation. We interpret high densities, re-establishment of historical behaviours and the return to ancestral feeding grounds as signs for a recovering population. Recovery of a large whale populatio

SUBMITTER: Herr H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9262878 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature