Dear MARMAM community,
My co-authors and I are pleased to share our latest publications with
you. The article is open access and can be found at the following link:
https://peerj.com/articles/19614/
Citation:
Laurent S, Poupard M, Ortolé C, Valin C, de Montgolfier B. 2025.
Intraspecific and spatial variation in habitat use by sperm whales
(/Physeter macrocephalus/) along the west coast of Martinique. PeerJ
13:e19614 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19614
Abstract:
For a deep-diving cetacean species like the sperm whale, acoustics is a
vital tool for research. This need is especially pressing in the eastern
Caribbean, where the habitat of marine mammals overlaps with heavy
maritime traffic, leading to noise pollution and an increased risk of
vessel collisions. To mitigate this risk, understanding their habitat
use is essential. Mature males are generally solitary and migrate over
long distances, while females and immatures form stable social units in
subtropical and tropical waters. In this study, we examined
intraspecific variation in distribution and habitat use among
individuals along the Caribbean coast of Martinique, using both visual
and acoustic data. Over the course of 24 surveys, 19 aggregations
involving a total of 74 individual sightings were characterised,
recognizing that some individuals may have been recorded multiple times.
Using the inter-pulse interval (IPI) of clicks, we estimated individual
size, which provided insights into the age and/or sex of each
individual. Habitat characteristics included bathymetry, distance from
the coast, and seabed slope. Our results on social structure are in line
with previous literature: 37% of the aggregations were made up of
females and/or juveniles, immatures, with a mature male nearby, with
temporal changes in aggregations linked to male migration patterns.
Spatial distribution and habitat use appeared consistent across
aggregation types, regardless of group size, average individual size, or
the presence of immatures. However, specific areas were identified for
hunting and socialising based on bathymetry. This study highlights the
importance of bathymetry and/or distance from the coast and temporal
dynamics related to variations in weather conditions and movements of
breeding males, in understanding habitat use by sperm whales in the
eastern Caribbean. The lack of observed influence of seabed slope
suggests that our spatial scale may have been too limited, or that finer
details regarding seabed characteristics are needed. These findings
could inform traffic management strategies to reduce the risk of vessel
collisions with sperm whales.
Please reach out with thoughts or questions about this work.
Best regards,
Benjamin.
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