Dear colleagues We are pleased to share with you our new publication where we identified that the Colombian Caribbean Sea could be a tropical important habitat for the sperm whale:
Avila, I.C., Farías-Curtidor, N., Castellanos-Mora, L., Bohrer do Amaral, K., Barragán-Barrera, D., Orozco, C., León, J. & V. Puentes. (2022). The Colombian Caribbean Sea, a tropical habitat for the vulnerable sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)? Oryx.doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605321001113 Abstract: We studied the sperm whale *Physeter macrocephalus* in the Colombian Caribbean by combining data from our offshore surveys of behaviour, encounter rate, group structure and density with data from the literature. We describe for the first time the potential distribution of sperm whales in the Colombian Caribbean, using sighting and acoustic data obtained during our surveys, published information, and opportunistic encounters during 1988–2020. Observations during surveys were conducted on seismic vessels over an area 68,904.7 km2 and 703 days of observation effort during 2011–2016. We recorded 98 individuals in a total of 50 groups, a density of 1.42 individuals per 1,000 km2. To determine the potential distribution of the species, we built Maxent models with uncorrelated environmental variables at five depths (from the surface to c. 2,000 m). The model for 1,000 m depth had the best performance, with areas of high probability of occurrence of sperm whales in the south and north-east Colombian Caribbean over the shelf break to waters up to c. 3,000 m deep, at a median distance of 107 km from the coast, and near the Archipelago of San Andres, Old Providence and Saint Catherine in the north-west. This area may be an important tropical habitat for sperm whales, in which they socialize, rest, breed and feed. Our study underlines the importance of monitoring marine mammals offshore and describes the potential distribution of sperm whales in the Colombian Caribbean, supporting conservation actions for this Vulnerable species, which is currently facing several threats in this region. The article is Open Access and is available here:doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605321001113 Best regards, Isabel C. Avila -- Dr. Isabel Cristina Avila Jiménez Marine Biologist PhD in Environmental Sciences Research Associate of the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW), University of Hannover, Germany Research member of the Animal Ecology group, Universidad del Valle, Colombia E-mails: isabel_c_av...@yahoo.com / isabelc.av...@gmail.com https://www.tiho-hannover.de/itaw/beschaeftigte/beschaeftigte-buesum/isabel-avila
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