Migrating humpbacks weigh social versus family rest sites
Now is about the time that sailing boats from the southern states share the waters of the humpback Whale on their way North to warmer climes, and perhaps a bit of racing off the Queensland Coast. So its interesting to read this article from the Oceanographic Magazine explaining how a new study from Griffiths University compared how migrating humpback whales use two stopover sites along the Queensland coast, finding that one was more social in nature and the other was used primarily by mothers and calves.
Image -Jonathan Xu
It’s the equivalent of the family section of the restaurant, or maybe the quiet carriage of the train; a new study that has found that migrating whales use two stopover sites along the Queensland coast: one more social in nature and the other used, primarily, by mothers and calves.
New research has found that while both Hervey and Moreton bays offered ideal resting places for whales along the Queensland coastline, Moreton Bay – according to the study’s findings – demonstrated more of a utilitarian role as a stopover compared to the multi-faceted use observed in Hervey Bay.
The study was conducted by Dr Raphael Mayaud as part of the Griffith University team that has initially identified Moreton Bay as an important stopover for humpback whale mothers and calves on their southward migratory journey in a 2023 study.
For this new piece of research – now published in PLOS One – the Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program researcher and his team wanted to further clarify its role within the broader migratory network.
“Given the potential significance of this finding in terms of how it could impact the conservation status of the bay, it’s important that we understand the functional roles of stopovers because they give us a holistic perspective of population dynamics and connectivity,” said Dr Mayaud.
“Because Hervey Bay has been extensively studied and well-documented as a stopover for the past couple of decades, it serves as an appropriate benchmark for us to compare Moreton Bay with.”
The results of systemic whale surveys conducted in both areas at staggered periods during the 2021 whale season showed Hervey Bay supported a more heterogeneous mix of demographic groups, while Moreton Bay has a significantly greater number of calf-groups.
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