Population Consequences of Acoustic Disturbance of Blainville's Beaked Whales at AUTEC
Abstract
Atypical strandings and behavioral responses of beaked whales have been associated with the use of Navy mid-frequency active (MFA) sonar (e.g. Simmonds and Lopez-Juraco 1991, Evans and England 2001, McCarthy et al. 2011, Tyack et al. 2011). Yet MFA sonar operations occur repeatedly on Navy ranges that are known beaked whale habitat. The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation (BMMRO) has been studying beaked whales in the northern Bahamas (Claridge 2006), including a population of Blainville's beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) found at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) range. These data are providing critical information on abundance, survival, and reproductive rates which are being used to model the population consequences of acoustic disturbances at AUTEC. The long-term goal of this project is to develop a methodology for monitoring the long-term health of populations that are repeatedly exposed to sonar. This work is important for the continued operational integrity of Navy ranges. The overall objective of this study is to develop a methodology for evaluating and monitoring the health of beaked whale populations on navy ranges and to apply this to Blainville s beaked whales at AUTEC. The specific objectives for BMMRO are to analyze longitudinal data to investigate aspects of the life history and behavior of this species which will be needed to inform the population consequences model, thus forming part of a larger project, Population Consequences of Acoustic Disturbance (PCAD, for full details of the project, see the PCAD Working Group reports).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA571057
Entities
People
- Charlotte A. Dunn
- Diane E. Claridge