Aerial behavior of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae at the southern limit of the southeast Pacific breeding area

Abstract

We evaluated the set of aerial displays shown by humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae in the northern coast of Peru, a region that is considered the southern limit of the breeding area of the stock G in the Southeast Pacific. From August to October 2010, aerial displays were quantified from a whale-watching boat together with shore sightings. Our results indicated that the most frequent aerial display was breaching, followed by tail and flipper splashing. The maximum number of displays occurred in September. Groups made of pairs of whales performed the most frequent aerial behavior during the study period. Our results contrast with previous information off Ecuador suggesting that most intense aerial displays are performed when humpbacks are gathered in larger groups (more than 3 whales). These results add new information about humpback whales aerial behavior in the northern coast of Peru.