Migratory Interchange of Humpback Whales between Peru and Ecuador

Project Name:

Project Dates:

Ongoing

Project Site(s):

Santa Elena Marine Protected Reserve (Ecuador), Puerto Bolívar (Ecuador), Mancora

(Perú), Los Organos (Perú) and Sechura (Perú)

Project Aims:

• Expand PWF’s research and whalewatch expertise from southern Ecuador to

northern Peru.

• Standardize research methodologies between Peru and Ecuador, and develop

collaborative research efforts

• Train guides, observers and researchers in cetacean photo-identification and

data collection.

Project Justification:

Little is known of the Peruvian population of humpback whales. It is presumed the

waters of Peru serve as a migratory corridor, but recent evidence indicates there may

be breeding activities ongoing. Our research will provide training, standardize research

methodologies between Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, Costa Rica and Panama, and will

result in the a comprehensive identification catalogue for Breeding Stock G animals

(west Latin America).

Project Methodology:

Date collected will be based on fluke and lateral body photographs of individual whales,

and the recordation of pod compositions, location, sex, age class, water temperature

and environmental sighting conditions.

Project Permits:

Ministerio de Ambiente– Parque Nacional Machalilla – Permiso No. 002 - RM - DPM -

Collaborators:

Ministerio de Ambiente, Refugio marino – costero Puntilla Santa Elena, Pacific

Adventures (Orgános – Perú), Luis Santillán (Sechura)

Management Outcomes:

Research findings will establish rates of interchange for Breeding Stock G humpback

whales between Peru and Ecuador, and other known west Latin American breeding

areas (Panama, Columbia, Costa Rica). Such data will be critical in developing

population models for the completion of the IWC’s Comprehensive Assessment of

Southern Hemisphere humpback whales Breeding Stock G.

Publications/Presentations:

2011: Castro, C., Alcorta, B., Allen, J., Caceres, C., Forestell, P.,

Kaufman, G., Mattila, D., Pacheco, A.S., Robbins, J., Santillan, L.,

Scheidat, M., Silva, S. and Tagarino, A. Comparison of the

humpback whale catalogues between Ecuador, Peru and American

Samoa. Evidence of the enlargement of the Breeding Stock G to

Peru. International Whaling Commission, Tromso, Norway. SC/63/

SH19.