A Review of Marine Mammal Distribution
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UNITED EP NATIONS Distr. LIMITED United Nations Environment UNEP(DEC)/CAR IG.20/INF.3 24 September 2001 Programme ENGLISH Original: ENGLISH First Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP) to the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) in the Wider Caribbean Region Havana, Cuba, 24-25 September 2001 Elements for the Development of a Marine Mammal Action Plan for the Wider Caribbean: A Review of Marine Mammal Distribution ELEMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MARINE MAMMAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE WIDER CARIBBEAN: A REVIEW OF MARINE MAMMAL DISTRIBUTION Dr Nathalie Ward Eastern Caribbean Cetacean Network Boston University Marine Program PO Box 573 Woods Hole, MA USA 02543 Anna Moscrop International Fund for Animal Welfare Habitat for Animals Program PO Box 1822 Yarmouthport, MA USA 02675 Dr Carole Carlson International Fund for Animal Welfare Habitat for Animals Program PO Box 1822 Yarmouthport, MA USA 02675 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS pg. 4. Executive Summary 6. Introduction 7. Objectives of MMAP for the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR) 8. Marine Mammal Diversity and Distribution: A Review 9. Future Recommendations 10. General Distribution and Ecology of Marine Mammals in the WCR ORDER CETACEA 13. Suborder Mysticeti or Baleen Whales 13. Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae 15. Bryde’s whale, Balaenoptera edeni 17. Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus 17.Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata 17.Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis 18.Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus 18.Northern right whale, Eubalaena glacialis 18. Suborder Odontoceti or Toothed Whales 19. Family Physeteridae 19.Sperm Whale, Physeter macrocephalus 22. Family Kogiidae, Pygmy and Dwarf Sperm Whales 22. Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps 22. Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima 24. Family Ziphiidae, Beaked Whales 24.Cuvier’s beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris 24.Gervais’ beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus 26.Blainville’s beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris 27.True’s beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus 27.Sowerby’s beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens 27. Family Delphinidae, Oceanic Dolphins 27.Killer whale, Orcinus orca 28.Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata 29.False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens 29.Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus 31.Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra 32. Fraser’s dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei 3 32. Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata 32. Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis 35. Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris 35. Clymene dolphin, Stenella clymene 36. Common dolphins, Delphinus spp. 37. Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus 39. Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba 39. Risso’s dolphin, Grampus griseus 40. Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis 41. Tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis ORDER SIRENIA 42. Family Trichechidae 42. West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus ORDER CARNIVORA 43.Suborder Pinnipedia 43.West Indian monk seal, Monachus tropicalis 43.California sea lion, Zalophus californianus 45. Acknowledgements 46. Literature Cited 70. Appendix I: Map and Occurrence Tables Tables 1–6: Occurrence of Marine Mammals by Sub-Regions Figure 1: Map of Wider Caribbean with Sub-Regions 75. Appendix II: Cetacean Species Descriptions and Conservation Status 84. Appendix III: Species List of Marine Mammals of the Wider Caribbean 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY At the Inter-governmental Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Convention in Kingston, Jamaica (February 2000), the Parties adopted the Scientific Committees’ recommendation for the timely development of a Marine Mammal Action Plan (MMAP) for the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR). The objectives of the MMAP are to ascertain the current status of marine mammals in the WCR, to identify where data are scarce, to make recommendations for future research, and to determine how best to apply and manage legislative and protective measures for maximum conservation benefit in the future. The MMAP aims to provide a framework for activities that require national and regional cooperation, on the basis of respect for the sovereign rights of the participating governments. “The Distribution of Marine Mammals of the Wider Caribbean” describes the diversity and distribution of marine mammals in the WCR. This paper serves as a companion document to “Marine Mammals of the Wider Caribbean Region: A Review of Their Conservation Status” (UNEP (WATER)/CAR WG.22/ INF.7: Ward and Moscrop 1999). This literature review is intended to provide additional background information for the development of a MMAP, and to contribute to the development and expansion of conservation measures at both national and international levels throughout the region. Recommendations for cooperative research and management strategies are proposed as well as coordination of public awareness and conservation education efforts. Information for this document was gathered from historical records, scientific literature, and sighting and stranding reports from various organizations including research groups and whale watch operations. The paucity of available information about marine mammals in the region, particularly cetaceans, indicates that future research would be beneficial. MARINE MAMMAL SPECIES Marine mammals are an integral part of the marine and coastal fauna of tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. For many species, these waters serve as primary habitat for a range of critical activities including feeding, mating and calving. The term marine mammal is purely descriptive and is not a taxonomic designation, encompassing mammals from three orders (Cetacea, Sirenia, and Carnivora) (Jefferson et al. 1993). Thirty-four species of marine mammals have been documented from the region (31 cetacean, 2 pinnipeds, and 1 sirenian). The cetacean species include seven species of baleen whales (mysticetes) and 24 species of toothed whales (odontocetes). Of the two pinnipeds, the West Indian monk seal (Monachus tropicalis) is now generally considered extinct, with the last reported sighting in 1952 (Schmidly 1981; LeBoeuf et al. 1986), and the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) was released from captive situations into the wild in the 1950s, with the last verified sighting in 1972 5 (Würsig et al. 2000). Two extralimital records of hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) (Mignucci-Giannoni and Odell 2000) have been reported off Puerto Rico (Mignucci- Giannoni and Odell 2000). The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) is the only sirenian species in the region. Of all marine mammal species, seven are classified as endangered or vulnerable by the IUCN (Jefferson et al. 1993; Ward and Moscrop 1999). See Table 1-6 for species distribution by sub-regions. FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS Recognising the paucity of information on cetaceans of the region, it is critical that Parties to the Convention develop common tools for standardising the collection and dissemination of information about cetaceans as well as organising training courses and education programmes to raise public awareness. The design and execution of conservation education programmes which improve public knowledge of the role of marine mammals in the environment and their conservation needs and act as a communication channel between the RCU and governments is integral to the development and participation in the MMAP for the WCR. Recommendations and priorities for action include attention to: promoting studies on species occurrence, abundance and status; habitat status; anthropogenic and environmental threats; local attitudes and interactions with cetaceans; the socioeconomic benefits of whale watching ecotourism; and, existing research programmes and future needs. Coordinated research and management efforts can contribute to ensuring a favourable conservation status for cetaceans by protecting them and their habitats from induced and cumulative effects resulting directly or indirectly from activities under national jurisdiction. Information obtained should be compiled and evaluated on a regional basis and distributed through an exchange network. Regional success in managing and protecting marine mammals is ultimately rooted in the success of individual Caribbean states to build internal capacities and to commit to the regional concept by establishing conservation priorities, standards and strategies for cetacean conservation. The marine mammal fauna of the region is diverse and has significant ecological, economic, aesthetic and amenity value to the countries of the Wider Caribbean. It is vital that these populations and their habitat are offered sustainable protection. 6 UNEP(DEC)/CAR IG.20/INF.3 Page 1 INTRODUCTION The Global Plan of Action for the Conservation, Management and Utilisation of Marine Mammals (MMAP) was developed (between 1978 and 1983) as a joint effort by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and other governmental and nongovernmental agencies concerned with marine mammal issues. The primary objective of an MMAP is to generate a consensus among the world's nations on which to base a worldwide policy for the conservation of marine mammals. An MMAP consists of five target areas: policy formation, regulatory and protective measures, increase in scientific knowledge, improvement of law and its application, and enhancement of public understanding. Marine mammals are an integral part of the marine and coastal fauna of tropical and subtropical waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. For many species, these waters serve as primary