ATLANTIC FRONTIER CETACEANS: Recent research on distribution, ecology and impacts Anna Moscrop and René Swift A Report to Greenpeace UK. March 1999. 1 Table of Contents Table of Contents............................................................................................................................ 2 List of Tables.................................................................................................................................. 4 List of Figures and Maps................................................................................................................. 5 1.0. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.0. Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) ....................................................................................... 9 2.10. Summary:........................................................................................................................... 9 2.20. Distribution and abundance ................................................................................................ 9 2.30. Response to seismic activity............................................................................................. 10 2.40. Response to other sources of noise ................................................................................... 10 3.0. Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) ........................................................................................ 11 3.10. Summary.......................................................................................................................... 11 3.20. Distribution and abundance .............................................................................................. 11 3.30. Response to seismic activity............................................................................................. 12 3.40. Response to other sources of noise ................................................................................... 14 4.0. Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). ........................................................................ 15 4.10. Summary:......................................................................................................................... 15 4.20. Distribution and abundance .............................................................................................. 15 4.30. Responses to seismic activity............................................................................................ 17 4.40. Responses to other sources of noise.................................................................................. 18 5.0. Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) ......................................................................................... 20 5.10. Summary.......................................................................................................................... 20 5.20. Distribution and abundance .............................................................................................. 20 5.30. Response to seismic activity............................................................................................. 20 6.0. Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)............................................................................ 21 6.10. Summary.......................................................................................................................... 21 6.20. Distribution and abundance .............................................................................................. 21 6.30. Response to seismic activity............................................................................................. 22 6.40. Response to other sources of noise ................................................................................... 22 7.0. Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)................................................................................. 23 7.10. Summary.......................................................................................................................... 23 7.20. Distribution and abundance .............................................................................................. 23 7.30. Response to seismic activity............................................................................................. 25 7.40. Responses to other sources of noise.................................................................................. 27 8.0. Long-finned Pilot whale (Globicephala melas) ...................................................................... 30 8.10. Summary.......................................................................................................................... 30 8.20. Distribution and abundance .............................................................................................. 30 8.30. Response to seismic activity. ............................................................................................ 31 8.40. Response to other sources of noise ................................................................................... 31 9.0. Killer whale (Orcinus orca) ................................................................................................... 32 9.10. Summary.......................................................................................................................... 32 9.20. Distribution and abundance .............................................................................................. 32 9.30. Responses to seismic activity............................................................................................ 33 9.40. Responses to other sources of noise.................................................................................. 33 10.0. Northern bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon ampulatus)............................................................ 34 10.10. Summary........................................................................................................................ 34 10.20. Distribution and abundance ............................................................................................ 34 10.30. Responses to seismic activity.......................................................................................... 34 10.40. Responses to other sources of noise................................................................................ 34 11.0. Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) ......................................................................... 35 11.10.Distribution and abundance ............................................................................................. 35 2 11.20. Responses to other sources of noise................................................................................ 35 12.0. Sowerby's beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens) ..................................................................... 36 12.10. Distribution and abundance ............................................................................................ 36 13.0. Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)............................................................................... 37 13.10. Summary........................................................................................................................ 37 13.20. Distribution and abundance ............................................................................................ 37 13.30. Response to seismic activity........................................................................................... 37 14.0. Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus)....................................................................................... 39 14.10. Summary........................................................................................................................ 39 14.20. Distribution and abundance ............................................................................................ 39 15.0. Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) ................................................................................ 40 15.10. Summary........................................................................................................................ 40 15.20. Distribution and abundance ............................................................................................ 40 15.30. Responses to seismic activity.......................................................................................... 41 16.0. White-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) ............................................................ 42 16.10. Summary........................................................................................................................ 42 16.20. Distribution and abundance ............................................................................................ 42 16.30. Responses to seismic activity.......................................................................................... 43 17.0. White-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus)..................................................................... 44 17.10. Summary........................................................................................................................ 44 17.20. Distribution and abundance ............................................................................................ 44 17.30. Responses to seismic activity.........................................................................................