Marine Mammal Science最新文献

{"title":"Sex Ratio, Pregnancy Status, and Blubber Testosterone Concentrations of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) on Foraging Grounds in the Southwestern Atlantic","authors":"Henry W. Slesser, Joanna L. Kershaw, Amy S. Kennedy, Caroline R. Weir, Stephanie Martin, Emma L. Carroll, C. Scott Baker, Manuela Bassoi, Danielle L. Buss, Martin Collins, Jennifer A. Jackson","doi":"10.1111/mms.70266","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70266","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding the demography of animal populations is fundamental to conservation biology. Key parameters such as sex ratio and reproductive success are important contributors for assessing current population health, forecasting population trends, and assessing impacts of conservation management interventions (Mills <span>2007</span>). For long-lived and slow-reproducing species such as baleen whales, small changes in reproductive parameters can strongly influence population trajectories (Caswell <span>2001</span>; Heppell et al. <span>2000</span>). Many baleen whale species and populations were heavily exploited during the 19th and 20th century whaling and are still recovering (Allison and Smith <span>2023</span>; Jackson et al. <span>2020</span>; Stewart et al. <span>2025</span>). For exploited populations undergoing recovery, accurate demographic information is essential for assessing population status and informing management decisions.</p><p>Historically, baleen whale demographic data were derived from lethal sampling conducted during commercial whaling operations (Chittleborough <span>1955</span>, <span>1959</span>, <span>1965</span>; Matthews <span>1937</span>). Following the cessation of commercial whaling, contemporary studies have relied on minimally invasive techniques to infer demographic parameters, including the assessment of individual identity and sex using genetic techniques (Constantine et al. <span>2012</span>; Berube and Palsbøll <span>1996</span>), epigenetics to determine age structure (Eichenberger et al. <span>2026</span>), isotope and fatty acid analyses to infer foraging ground location and diet (Bury et al. <span>2024</span>; Derville et al. <span>2023</span>; Groß et al. <span>2024</span>), and the measurement of progesterone and testosterone concentrations in blubber to assess pregnancy status and male reproductive condition respectively (Cates et al. <span>2019</span>; Kershaw et al. <span>2020</span>; Mingramm et al. <span>2020</span>; Pallin et al. <span>2018</span>; Vu et al. <span>2015</span>).</p><p>Contemporary demographic information remains limited for humpback whales (<i>Megaptera novaeangliae</i>) on their southwestern Atlantic foraging grounds (Figure 1). Humpback whales were heavily exploited in the Southwestern Atlantic during the 20th century commercial whaling period, with an estimated 26,000 humpback whales killed in these waters between 1904 and 1963 (Allison and Smith <span>2023</span>). Following decades of occasional sightings, since 2015 humpback whales are now the most frequently observed baleen whales in the waters surrounding South Georgia (SG) (Jackson et al. <span>2020</span>) with some 12,000 individuals estimated to visit these waters each austral summer (Baines et al. <span>2021</span>). Recent observations also indicate an increase in humpback whale occurrence in the Falkland Islands (FK) (Weir <span>2022</span>). Population dynamic models suggest that the southwestern Atlantic breedi","PeriodicalId":18725,"journal":{"name":"Marine Mammal Science","volume":"42 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mms.70266","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Humpback Highs and Lows Amid Shifting Seas and a Northeast Pacific Marine Heatwave: Whale Demographics in the Main Hawaiian Islands, 2002–2023","authors":"S. M. Barber-Meyer,&nbsp;T. Cheeseman,&nbsp;J. Barlow,&nbsp;L. Bejder,&nbsp;A. L. Bradford,&nbsp;R. Cartwright,&nbsp;M. Deakos,&nbsp;L. Evans,&nbsp;R. Finn,&nbsp;C. M. Gabriele,&nbsp;B. Goodwin,&nbsp;C. Hayslip,&nbsp;E. E. Henderson,&nbsp;M. Jones,&nbsp;M. Lammers,&nbsp;E. Lyman,&nbsp;D. M. McSwain,&nbsp;J. Mobley,&nbsp;M. Olio,&nbsp;A. A. Pack,&nbsp;D. M. Palacios,&nbsp;H. R. Spears,&nbsp;S. H. Stack,&nbsp;F. A. Sullivan,&nbsp;M. van Aswegen,&nbsp;K. M. Yano,&nbsp;S. Yin,&nbsp;A. Zoidis,&nbsp;J. J. Currie","doi":"10.1111/mms.70231","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70231","url":null,"abstract":"<p>North Pacific humpback whales are a celebrated conservation success, rebounding from extensive commercial whaling. Yet they remain vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, a multifaceted stressor that can exacerbate existing threats. During 2013–2016, a Northeast Pacific marine heatwave severely reduced forage availability in their feeding grounds, concurrent with diminished whale recruitment and increased mortality. We analyzed photo-identification data of whales that visited the Main Hawaiian Islands from 2002 to 2023 to estimate apparent survival, abundance, and distinct population segment (DPS) growth rates. Survival was high prior to (0.987; SE = 0.003), low during (0.684; SE = 0.022), and higher, but still reduced, after (0.956; SE = 0.006) the heatwave. Annual breeding season abundance estimates averaged 11,617 (SD = 1914) and included a striking 37% decrease from 2014/15 to 2021/22. While the average annual DPS growth rate was stable (1.00) over 20 breeding seasons, shorter periods included high growth (1.09) and steep decline (0.783). Depressed survival and abundance estimates may signal lingering heatwave effects or adjustment to current carrying capacity. Climate change predictions include more frequent, intense, and longer heatwaves; thus, this DPS serves as a crucial ecosystem-health indicator. Continued research and monitoring are essential to support resiliency against future climate perturbations.</p>","PeriodicalId":18725,"journal":{"name":"Marine Mammal Science","volume":"42 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mms.70231","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Humpback Highs and Lows Amid Shifting Seas and a Northeast Pacific Marine Heatwave: Whale Demographics in the Main Hawaiian Islands, 2002–2023","authors":"S. M. Barber-Meyer,&nbsp;T. Cheeseman,&nbsp;J. Barlow,&nbsp;L. Bejder,&nbsp;A. L. Bradford,&nbsp;R. Cartwright,&nbsp;M. Deakos,&nbsp;L. Evans,&nbsp;R. Finn,&nbsp;C. M. Gabriele,&nbsp;B. Goodwin,&nbsp;C. Hayslip,&nbsp;E. E. Henderson,&nbsp;M. Jones,&nbsp;M. Lammers,&nbsp;E. Lyman,&nbsp;D. M. McSwain,&nbsp;J. Mobley,&nbsp;M. Olio,&nbsp;A. A. Pack,&nbsp;D. M. Palacios,&nbsp;H. R. Spears,&nbsp;S. H. Stack,&nbsp;F. A. Sullivan,&nbsp;M. van Aswegen,&nbsp;K. M. Yano,&nbsp;S. Yin,&nbsp;A. Zoidis,&nbsp;J. J. Currie","doi":"10.1111/mms.70231","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70231","url":null,"abstract":"<p>North Pacific humpback whales are a celebrated conservation success, rebounding from extensive commercial whaling. Yet they remain vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, a multifaceted stressor that can exacerbate existing threats. During 2013–2016, a Northeast Pacific marine heatwave severely reduced forage availability in their feeding grounds, concurrent with diminished whale recruitment and increased mortality. We analyzed photo-identification data of whales that visited the Main Hawaiian Islands from 2002 to 2023 to estimate apparent survival, abundance, and distinct population segment (DPS) growth rates. Survival was high prior to (0.987; SE = 0.003), low during (0.684; SE = 0.022), and higher, but still reduced, after (0.956; SE = 0.006) the heatwave. Annual breeding season abundance estimates averaged 11,617 (SD = 1914) and included a striking 37% decrease from 2014/15 to 2021/22. While the average annual DPS growth rate was stable (1.00) over 20 breeding seasons, shorter periods included high growth (1.09) and steep decline (0.783). Depressed survival and abundance estimates may signal lingering heatwave effects or adjustment to current carrying capacity. Climate change predictions include more frequent, intense, and longer heatwaves; thus, this DPS serves as a crucial ecosystem-health indicator. Continued research and monitoring are essential to support resiliency against future climate perturbations.</p>","PeriodicalId":18725,"journal":{"name":"Marine Mammal Science","volume":"42 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mms.70231","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparing Drone and Vessel-Based Imaging to Quantify Epibiont Coverage on Humpback Whales","authors":"Isabel A. R. Taylor,&nbsp;Ticiana Fettermann,&nbsp;Barry McGovern,&nbsp;David S. Schoeman,&nbsp;Adrian B. McCallum,&nbsp;Stephanie H. Stack","doi":"10.1111/mms.70255","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70255","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cetacean epibionts offer noninvasive insights into host health, physiology, and spatial ecology, yet quantitative assessments in wild populations remain scarce. Although vessel-based observations may be limited by field of view and analyst input, unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs; drones) are increasingly used to monitor cetacean health indices, enhancing observational availability and reproducibility. However, the suitability of drones for quantifying epibiota has not been thoroughly evaluated. Implementing a standardized workflow, we compared dorsal proportional epibiont coverage estimates derived from drone-based imagery and traditional vessel-based techniques across reproductive classes of humpback whales (<i>Megaptera novaeangliae</i>). We analyzed 32 paired datasets using pixel-based methods, incorporating semiautomated graph-cut segmentation and iterative color-thresholding. Drone-derived estimates of epibiont coverage consistently exceeded vessel-based measures, which averaged 58% of the relative coverage estimated from corresponding drone imagery, partly attributable to variable lighting during image capture. Nevertheless, 94% of paired observations differed by less than 5% in absolute coverage, indicating strong agreement. While refinement of flight parameters, image resolution, and further validation are recommended, we demonstrate that drones can provide a reliable source of quantitative epibiont data, with potential applicability across diverse epibiont–host systems, benefiting cetacean population health monitoring programs and informing conservation strategies, particularly for elusive or understudied species.</p>","PeriodicalId":18725,"journal":{"name":"Marine Mammal Science","volume":"42 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mms.70255","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex Ratio, Pregnancy Status, and Blubber Testosterone Concentrations of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) on Foraging Grounds in the Southwestern Atlantic","authors":"Henry W. Slesser,&nbsp;Joanna L. Kershaw,&nbsp;Amy S. Kennedy,&nbsp;Caroline R. Weir,&nbsp;Stephanie Martin,&nbsp;Emma L. Carroll,&nbsp;C. Scott Baker,&nbsp;Manuela Bassoi,&nbsp;Danielle L. Buss,&nbsp;Martin Collins,&nbsp;Jennifer A. Jackson","doi":"10.1111/mms.70266","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70266","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;Understanding the demography of animal populations is fundamental to conservation biology. Key parameters such as sex ratio and reproductive success are important contributors for assessing current population health, forecasting population trends, and assessing impacts of conservation management interventions (Mills &lt;span&gt;2007&lt;/span&gt;). For long-lived and slow-reproducing species such as baleen whales, small changes in reproductive parameters can strongly influence population trajectories (Caswell &lt;span&gt;2001&lt;/span&gt;; Heppell et al. &lt;span&gt;2000&lt;/span&gt;). Many baleen whale species and populations were heavily exploited during the 19th and 20th century whaling and are still recovering (Allison and Smith &lt;span&gt;2023&lt;/span&gt;; Jackson et al. &lt;span&gt;2020&lt;/span&gt;; Stewart et al. &lt;span&gt;2025&lt;/span&gt;). For exploited populations undergoing recovery, accurate demographic information is essential for assessing population status and informing management decisions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Historically, baleen whale demographic data were derived from lethal sampling conducted during commercial whaling operations (Chittleborough &lt;span&gt;1955&lt;/span&gt;, &lt;span&gt;1959&lt;/span&gt;, &lt;span&gt;1965&lt;/span&gt;; Matthews &lt;span&gt;1937&lt;/span&gt;). Following the cessation of commercial whaling, contemporary studies have relied on minimally invasive techniques to infer demographic parameters, including the assessment of individual identity and sex using genetic techniques (Constantine et al. &lt;span&gt;2012&lt;/span&gt;; Berube and Palsbøll &lt;span&gt;1996&lt;/span&gt;), epigenetics to determine age structure (Eichenberger et al. &lt;span&gt;2026&lt;/span&gt;), isotope and fatty acid analyses to infer foraging ground location and diet (Bury et al. &lt;span&gt;2024&lt;/span&gt;; Derville et al. &lt;span&gt;2023&lt;/span&gt;; Groß et al. &lt;span&gt;2024&lt;/span&gt;), and the measurement of progesterone and testosterone concentrations in blubber to assess pregnancy status and male reproductive condition respectively (Cates et al. &lt;span&gt;2019&lt;/span&gt;; Kershaw et al. &lt;span&gt;2020&lt;/span&gt;; Mingramm et al. &lt;span&gt;2020&lt;/span&gt;; Pallin et al. &lt;span&gt;2018&lt;/span&gt;; Vu et al. &lt;span&gt;2015&lt;/span&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contemporary demographic information remains limited for humpback whales (&lt;i&gt;Megaptera novaeangliae&lt;/i&gt;) on their southwestern Atlantic foraging grounds (Figure 1). Humpback whales were heavily exploited in the Southwestern Atlantic during the 20th century commercial whaling period, with an estimated 26,000 humpback whales killed in these waters between 1904 and 1963 (Allison and Smith &lt;span&gt;2023&lt;/span&gt;). Following decades of occasional sightings, since 2015 humpback whales are now the most frequently observed baleen whales in the waters surrounding South Georgia (SG) (Jackson et al. &lt;span&gt;2020&lt;/span&gt;) with some 12,000 individuals estimated to visit these waters each austral summer (Baines et al. &lt;span&gt;2021&lt;/span&gt;). Recent observations also indicate an increase in humpback whale occurrence in the Falkland Islands (FK) (Weir &lt;span&gt;2022&lt;/span&gt;). Population dynamic models suggest that the southwestern Atlantic breedi","PeriodicalId":18725,"journal":{"name":"Marine Mammal Science","volume":"42 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mms.70266","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparing Drone and Vessel-Based Imaging to Quantify Epibiont Coverage on Humpback Whales","authors":"Isabel A. R. Taylor,&nbsp;Ticiana Fettermann,&nbsp;Barry McGovern,&nbsp;David S. Schoeman,&nbsp;Adrian B. McCallum,&nbsp;Stephanie H. Stack","doi":"10.1111/mms.70255","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70255","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cetacean epibionts offer noninvasive insights into host health, physiology, and spatial ecology, yet quantitative assessments in wild populations remain scarce. Although vessel-based observations may be limited by field of view and analyst input, unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs; drones) are increasingly used to monitor cetacean health indices, enhancing observational availability and reproducibility. However, the suitability of drones for quantifying epibiota has not been thoroughly evaluated. Implementing a standardized workflow, we compared dorsal proportional epibiont coverage estimates derived from drone-based imagery and traditional vessel-based techniques across reproductive classes of humpback whales (<i>Megaptera novaeangliae</i>). We analyzed 32 paired datasets using pixel-based methods, incorporating semiautomated graph-cut segmentation and iterative color-thresholding. Drone-derived estimates of epibiont coverage consistently exceeded vessel-based measures, which averaged 58% of the relative coverage estimated from corresponding drone imagery, partly attributable to variable lighting during image capture. Nevertheless, 94% of paired observations differed by less than 5% in absolute coverage, indicating strong agreement. While refinement of flight parameters, image resolution, and further validation are recommended, we demonstrate that drones can provide a reliable source of quantitative epibiont data, with potential applicability across diverse epibiont–host systems, benefiting cetacean population health monitoring programs and informing conservation strategies, particularly for elusive or understudied species.</p>","PeriodicalId":18725,"journal":{"name":"Marine Mammal Science","volume":"42 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mms.70255","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Behavioral Response of Arctocephalus australis to Pedestrian Disturbance During the Breeding Season: Implications for Wildlife Tourism Management","authors":"Maite Arangüena-Proaño,&nbsp;Carlos Calvo-Mac,&nbsp;Yann Tremblay","doi":"10.1111/mms.70257","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70257","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The South American fur seal (<i>Arctocephalus australis</i>) breeds in dense colonies along the Peruvian coast, mostly within protected areas managed by the Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado (SERNANP). To support responsible wildlife tourism near breeding sites, we evaluated the behavioral responses to controlled pedestrian approaches at Punta Coles, within the Reserva Nacional Sistema de Islas, Islotes y Puntas Guaneras (RNSIIPG). Specifically, we (a) quantified <i>A. australis</i> responses to pedestrian disturbance and (b) identified the factors influencing variation in individual alert distance (i.e., the distance at which animals first detect and respond to human presence) during the breeding season. We conducted 61 standardized approaches across five colonies, recording synchronized video, GPS tracks, and sound-level measurements, and obtained wind conditions from satellite-derived data. Linear models with stepwise Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) selection identified the key predictors of alert distance. Alert distance increased with colony size, and was greater when wind conditions favored human scent transport toward the colony (i.e., smaller wind-track angle difference). These results underscore the importance of sensory cues and colony-size effects in shaping human–pinniped interactions, consistent with antipredator and vigilance theory. The empirical relationship derived here provides a practical, transferable framework for establishing evidence-based buffer distances to guide sustainable pinniped tourism.</p>","PeriodicalId":18725,"journal":{"name":"Marine Mammal Science","volume":"42 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mms.70257","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Behavioral Response of Arctocephalus australis to Pedestrian Disturbance During the Breeding Season: Implications for Wildlife Tourism Management","authors":"Maite Arangüena-Proaño,&nbsp;Carlos Calvo-Mac,&nbsp;Yann Tremblay","doi":"10.1111/mms.70257","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70257","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The South American fur seal (<i>Arctocephalus australis</i>) breeds in dense colonies along the Peruvian coast, mostly within protected areas managed by the Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado (SERNANP). To support responsible wildlife tourism near breeding sites, we evaluated the behavioral responses to controlled pedestrian approaches at Punta Coles, within the Reserva Nacional Sistema de Islas, Islotes y Puntas Guaneras (RNSIIPG). Specifically, we (a) quantified <i>A. australis</i> responses to pedestrian disturbance and (b) identified the factors influencing variation in individual alert distance (i.e., the distance at which animals first detect and respond to human presence) during the breeding season. We conducted 61 standardized approaches across five colonies, recording synchronized video, GPS tracks, and sound-level measurements, and obtained wind conditions from satellite-derived data. Linear models with stepwise Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) selection identified the key predictors of alert distance. Alert distance increased with colony size, and was greater when wind conditions favored human scent transport toward the colony (i.e., smaller wind-track angle difference). These results underscore the importance of sensory cues and colony-size effects in shaping human–pinniped interactions, consistent with antipredator and vigilance theory. The empirical relationship derived here provides a practical, transferable framework for establishing evidence-based buffer distances to guide sustainable pinniped tourism.</p>","PeriodicalId":18725,"journal":{"name":"Marine Mammal Science","volume":"42 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mms.70257","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From Pixels to Pods: Integrating Drones and Machine Learning Techniques to Understand Cetacean Social Dynamics","authors":"Anne E. Harshbarger,&nbsp;David W. Johnston,&nbsp;Frants H. Jensen","doi":"10.1111/mms.70249","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70249","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our ability to study the fine-scale behavior of cetaceans is evolving rapidly with the use of drones (or unoccupied aircraft systems) as platforms to observe and record behavior and with the emergence of machine learning and data science tools to quantify these observations. Together, these tools can provide an unprecedented perspective on the surface and near-surface behaviors of cetaceans and the dynamics of their social groups. However, the use of machine learning to study cetacean behavior lags behind its application in other areas, such as cetacean acoustics and photo-identification. In this review, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of combining these technologies to quantify cetacean social dynamics, and we present recent advances in the development of machine learning pipelines that go beyond the detection of animals. We also consider strategies that can improve the performance of models in individual studies, and as a broader research community, to allow the development of more effective and more generalizable tools.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":18725,"journal":{"name":"Marine Mammal Science","volume":"42 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights Into a Disruptive Behavior of Iberian Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) With Boats: Perspective From Multiple Interactions With a Research Vessel","authors":"Joana Castro,&nbsp;André Cid,&nbsp;Miguel P. Martins,&nbsp;Guilherme Estrela,&nbsp;Antony Pieters,&nbsp;Alicia Quirin","doi":"10.1111/mms.70247","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70247","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Multiple killer whales of the Iberian subpopulation interact with boats by establishing physical contact through bumping and pushing. First reported broadly in 2020, this disruptive behavior has since caused considerable damage to hundreds of vessels. Even though there are various hypotheses for what drives these interactions, the cause and purpose of this behavior are not yet understood. Here, we report on seven events between 2018 and 2025 where killer whales made direct physical contact with a research vessel in southern Portugal. Out of 26 identified individuals, 8 interacted with our rigid-hulled inflatable boat: 2 adult females and 6 juveniles of both sexes, from 5 recognized matrilines. Notably, one juvenile interacted on two occasions. Underwater footage revealed a variable nature of interactions, ranging from displays of curiosity to agonistic behaviors. In all encounters, feeding/foraging was observed. We documented an interaction that predates official reports by 2 years and recorded a new individual participating in this behavior, highlighting its continued spread through social transmission. In our observations, keeping the vessel stationary did not reliably decrease interaction intensity, while accelerating caused apparent loss of interest. However, improved mitigation measures are needed to prevent harm to humans and killer whales, securing long-term coexistence.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":18725,"journal":{"name":"Marine Mammal Science","volume":"42 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}