SC/F14/J15 Prey composition and consumption rate by Antarctic minke whales based on JARPA and JARPAII data TSUTOMU TAMURA AND KENJI KONISHI The Institute of Cetacean Research, 4-5 Toyomi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0055, Japan Contact e-mail:
[email protected] ABSTRACT In this study, the information on the feeding habits of Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) sampled during the surveys of the Japanese Whale Research under Special Permit in the Antarctic (JARPA and JARPAII), for the period of 1987/88–2010/11 are summarized. Some of the analyses considered recommendations offered during the 2006 JARPA final review meeting (e.g. those related to the duration of the feeding period, digestion rate and examination at smaller spatial scales). We compared the feeding habits of the Antarctic minke whales during the JARPA period (1987/88–2004/05) and the JARPAII period (2005/06–2010/11). The Antarctic minke whales fed mostly on Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in offshore areas, and on ice krill E. crystallorophias in coastal (shallow) areas on the continental shelf of the Ross Sea and Prydz Bay. The whales fed mainly before 5AM suggesting that feeding activity decreases early in the day. The daily prey consumption was estimated using two independent methods, which were from theoretical energy requirement calculations and from diurnal changes of stomach contents’ mass. The daily prey consumptions of Antarctic minke whales per capita during the feeding season based on these two methods were 95.1–127.0 and 182.6–250.3kg for immature and mature males, 125.8– 138.7 and 268.1–325.5kg for immature and mature females, respectively.