Gulf of Mexico Science Volume 23 Article 4 Number 2 Number 2 2005 Cetacean Strandings on the Southwestern Coast of the Gulf of Mexico Alejandro Ortega-Argueta University of Veracruz Clara E. Pérez-Sánchez University of Veracruz Giberth Gordillo-Morales University of Veracruz Omar G. Gordillo University of Veracruz Daniel G. Pérez University of Veracruz et al. DOI: 10.18785/goms.2302.04 Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/goms Recommended Citation Ortega-Argueta, A., C. E. Pérez-Sánchez, G. Gordillo-Morales, O. G. Gordillo, D. G. Pérez and H. Alafita. 2005. Cetacean Strandings on the Southwestern Coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf of Mexico Science 23 (2). Retrieved from https://aquila.usm.edu/goms/vol23/iss2/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Gulf of Mexico Science by an authorized editor of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Ortega-Argueta et al.: Cetacean Strandings on the Southwestern Coast of the Gulf of Mexi Gulf of Mexico Science, 2005(2), pp. 17!1-185 Cetacean Strandings on the Southwestern Coast of the Gulf of Mexico ALEJANDRO ORTEGA-ARGUETA, CLARA E. PEREz-SANcHEZ, GIBERTH GoRDILLO-MORALES, O:MAR G. GORDILLO, DANIEL G. PEREZ, AND HECTOR ALAFITA A total of 21 reports of cetacean strandings on the coast of Veracruz, Mexico were obtained from interviews aud monitoring efforts carried out through surveys conducted by walking along the beach between July 1993 and June 1994, Skeletal remains and recently documented stranding events in scientific and private col­ lections were also collected. Identified species belong to four families: Balaen­ opteridae, Physeteridae, Kogiidae, and Delphinidae. Nineteen animals were iden­ tified to species level. Additionally, a single baleen whale photo was identified only as a Balaenopteridae whale and a single vertebra was recorded as a Delphin­ idae vertebra because of lack of more conclusive evidence. Six categories were recorded (number of stranding events in parentheses): Physeter macrocephalus (2), Kogia breviceps (2), Tursiops h·uncatus (14), Stenella fi·ontalis (1), Balaenoptera sp. (1 ), and unidentified Delphinidae (1 ). The spatial distribution of tl1e carcasses and skeletal remains indicates that cetaceans strand along most of the coast of Veracruz. Two types of interaction between the bottlenose dolphin and the arti­ sanal coastal fishery were identified through anecdotal information. The first in­ teraction relates to competition for food, because dolphins eat fish caught in gill nets. A second interaction was the direct use of dolphin meat as shark bait. This is the first systematic study involving the collection of cetacean stranding data along tl1e entire coastline of Veracruz, INTRODUCTION the GOM has been obtained from studies in the territorial waters of the United States (e.g., Mexico has a rich marine mammal fauna Mullin and Hansen, 1999; Wiirsig eta!., 2000; (Aurioles-Gamboa, 1995; Torres et a!., 1995). Mullin and Fulling, 2004). Limited informa­ Marine mammal diversity in Mexican ten·ito­ tion on the Mexican coastal region has been rial waters includes 46 living species (Aurioles­ obtained from strandings and opportunistic Gamboa, 1995; Torres et a!., 1995) of which sightings during oceanographic cruises (Villa­ the largest group is the cetaceans (whales and Ramfrez, 1969; Hugentobler and Gallo, 1986; dolphins) with 40 species represented. The Gallo and Pimienta, 1989; Jefferson and Lynn, pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) follow with four 1994; Solfs-Ramfrez, 1995; Delgado-Estrella et species, and there is one species each of fissi­ a!., 1998a). Other records were obtained from ped (sea otter, Enhydra lu.tris) and sirenian (An­ the evaluation of interactions between ceta­ tillean rnanatee, Trichechus manatus manatus). ceans and tuna and shrimp fisheries in oceanic However, marine mammal research in Mexico waters (Delgado-Estrella, 1997; Ulloa et a!., has focused in the Pacific Ocean, principally 1997). Finally, studies were conducted on the on Baja California's west coast and the Gulf of coast of Veracruz, Campeche, and Yucatan to California. Marine mammal studies in the assess the abundance and movements of coast­ southern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) are less com.­ mon due the lack of research groups and fa­ al populations of the bottlenose dolphin ( Tw~ cilities. Relatively little has been done for the siops truncatus) (Delgado-Estrella, 1991; Heck­ GOM and the Mexican waters of the Caribbe­ el, 1992; Schrmnm, 1993). Recent reviews by an Sea (Aurioles-Gamboa et a!., 1993). The Ortega-Ortiz (2002) and Ortega-Ortiz et a!. conservation of marine m.ammals in the south­ (2004) summarize historic and current ceta­ ern GOM is prom.oted by the legal decree of cean records, published and unpublished, protection for large cetaceans within the Mex­ from the southern region of the GOM. ican economic exclusive zone (SEiviARNAT, The Veracruz Marine Mammal Stranding 2002). Network (VMMSN) was founded in 1993 by a There are 28 species of cetaceans known team of scientists, volunteers, and government from the GOM (Mullin and Hansen, 1999; representatives to contribute to marine mam­ Wiirsig et a!., 2000), which account for 60.8% mal knowledge for the GOM. The objective of of the total number of cetacean species record­ this paper is to report VMMSN records of ce­ ed for Mexico. Most of the information frorn tacean strandings in Veracruz and the most © 2005 by the 1-Iarine Environmental Sciences Consortium of Alabama Published by The Aquila Digital Community, 2005 1 Gulf of Mexico Science, Vol. 23 [2005], No. 2, Art. 4 180 GULF OF MEXICO SCIENCE, 2005, VOL. 23(2) (1993), Ridgway and Harrison (1994), and Reeves et al. (2002). Osteological material was deposited at the University ofVeracruz's Mam­ malogy Collection (Table 1). We also visited 119 coastal communities where we interviewed fishermen and government representatives in natural resources and fisheries. This allowed us to obtain information regarding successive t strandings during the course of the year and N liiiiiiii""" maintain a permanent monitoring of the Ve­ 0 50 100km racruz coast. Direct observations and inter­ views also allowed us to understand interac­ tions between cetaceans and artisanal coastal fisheries. Causes of animal death were only de­ termined when there was gross evidence of hu­ man-induced injuries. RESULTS 98' In total, 21 cetacean strandings were record­ ed: one mysticete and 20 odontocetes (Table Fig. 1. Location of cetacean strandings on the 1). Records were obtained in the following coast of Veracruz, Mexico. The field numbers shown way: 15 records were from field work; three in the map indicate the same order of recording previously unpublished records were docu­ found in Table 1. mented at the Department of Biology, Univer­ sity of Veracruz (DBUV); and three previous common types of interaction between ceta­ records belong to two private collections (two ceans and coastal fisheries. records from Tecolutla and a single record from Alvarado). Nineteen animals were iden­ tified at species level and correspond to the STUDY AREA AND METHODS families Physeteridae, Kogiidae, and Delphini­ The study area comprises 745 km of the dae. A photographed baleen whale was record­ coast of Veracruz, from the Panuco River ed only as a Balaenopteridae specimen (see (22°l5'N 97°47'W) to the Tonala River Fig. 2 for explanation) and a single dorsal ver­ (l8°l3'N 94°10'W) (Fig. 1). Most of this coast tebra was recorded as a Delphinidae specimen is characterized by wide, sandy beaches, with because insufficient evidence was available for the exception of a 55-km portion in the south­ identification to the species level. The bottle­ ern part of the state, where small, rocky cliffs nose dolphin was the species most commonly of volcanic origin are located. For this re­ recorded ( 14 cases), followed in order of fre­ search, the coast of Veracruz was divided into quency by the sperm whale, Physeter macroceph­ eight zones that were surveyed during four sea­ alus (2), pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps sonal periods, from July 1993 through June (2), Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella fivntalis 1994 (3-lOJuly 1993; 17 Oct.-20 Nov. 1993; 20 (1), a balaenopterid whale (1), and an uniden­ Feb.-11 Mar. 1994, and 5-18 June 1994) (Fig. tified Delphinidae ( 1). 1). Each zone was surveyed once in each sea­ All of the strandings were of single animals. sonal period. Walking beach surveys were In 10 cases where we found the carcasses of made by VMMSN volunteers to collect skeletal complete and recently stranded animals, local remains and record recent strandings. We also residents stated that they were already dead reviewed fishermen's private collections in Te­ when they came ashore. Two pygmy sperm colutla and Alvarado, which included bone re­ whales (field numbers KB91-2-003 and KB93- mains and photographic material. All speci­ 2-0ll) and a bottlenose dolphin (TT94-3-018) mens, bone remains, and photographs were died as a result of entanglement in gill nets examined and identified to the lowest taxo­ used in Tecolutla and Lechuguillas (Fig. 1, Ta­ nomic level possible in accordance with their ble 1). In the remaining cases, we were not morphometries, skin-color patterns, tooth able to identify cause of death because of in­ counts, and number and position of ventral complete information and the advanced state pleats. Species identification followed Leath­ of decomposition