Bryde's Whale
Encyclopedia
Bryde's whales are baleen whale
s, one of the "great whales" or rorqual
s. They prefer tropical and temperate waters over the polar seas that other whale
s in their family
frequent. They are largely coastal rather than pelagic. Bryde's whales are very similar in appearance to sei whale
s and almost as large.
"Bryde" is sometimes misheard as "brutus whale". The name comes from the Norwegian
consul to South Africa
, Johan Bryde
, who helped set up the first whaling station in Durban, South Africa in 1908.
They inhabit tropical and subtropical waters worldwide.
Bryde's whales are considered medium-sized for balaenopterids, dark gray in color with a white underbelly.
, a pygmy
, is only recently described and reaches only 37.5–39 ft (11.4–11.9 ).
They were not described until 1878, from a stranded specimen on the coast of Burma, which was given the name Balaenoptera edeni. In 1913, whales off the coast of South Africa
were described as Balaenoptera brydei, the name being given to honour Johan Bryde, Norwegian
consul and pioneer of the South African whaling
industry.
By the 1950s, scientists grouped them in a single species
, B. edeni, retaining Bryde's whale as the common name.
whale, more specifically a rorqual
belonging to the same group as blue whales and humpback whales. It has twin blowholes with a low splashguard to the front. Like other rorquals, it has no teeth, but has two rows of baleen plates.
The head of Bryde's whales makes up about 25% of the body, with relatively large eyes. Each side of the mouth features 250–410 coarse gray baleen plates up to 40 centimetres (15.7 in) long. Forty to 70 ventral pleats are located on the animal's underside. Omura's whales have 180–210 baleen plates on each side and 80–90 ventral pleats. Bryde's whale is unique amongst rorquals in that it has three longitudinal ridges on its rostrum
, from the tip of the snout back to the blowhole. Sei whale
s, with which they are often mistaken, like other rorquals, have a single median ridge. Omura's whales have no ridges.
These whales have an erect, curved, pointed, "falcate" dorsal fin
located far down its back and broad flukes. The dorsal fin is visible at the surface. The broad, centrally notched tail flukes never break the surface. The flippers are small and slender.
Color varies: the back is generally dark grey or blue to black. The ventral area is a lighter cream, shading to greyish purple on the belly. Some have a number of whitish-grey spots, which may be scars from parasites or shark attacks. Omuras have asymmetrical head coloring, similar to fin whale
s.
They usually appear individually or in pairs, and occasionally in loose aggregations of up to twenty animals around feeding areas.
They sometimes generate short (0.4 seconds) powerful, low frequency vocalizations that resemble a human moan.
(e.g., krill
and copepods), and crustaceans (e.g. pelagic red crabs, shrimp), as well as schooling fish (e.g., anchovy
, herring
, sardine
, mackerel
, and pilchard). Bryde's whales use several feeding methods, including skimming the surface, lunging, and bubble nets.
Bryde's whales inhabit the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, from 40° South to 40° North. Some populations migrate seasonally, moving towards higher latitudes during the summer and towards the equator during the winter. Uniquely among baleen whales, some populations do not migrate. The distribution of Omura's whales includes the nearshore and continental shelf waters of southeast Asia, east India, and the western Pacific.
For management purposes, the U.S. population is divided into three groups: the Eastern Tropical Pacific stock (11,000–13,000 animals), Hawaiian stock (350–500), and Northern Gulf of Mexico stock (25–40). There are an estimated 12 animals in the waters off California, Oregon, and Washington, where only a single confirmed sighting has been made (in 1991, off Central California) in the last couple decades. The sighting is considered extralimital, just north of the species' normal range in the eastern North Pacific (about Sebastián Vizcaíno Bay
, on the west coast of Baja California
). A whale watching
tour out of Dana Point, California
has twice claimed to have sighted Bryde’s whales, the first time on 12 March 2003 involving four individuals, and the second on 6 September 2007 involving a pair of individuals.
There are insufficient data to determine population trends.
The Bryde's whale is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). It is listed on Appendix II as it has an unfavourable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international co-operation organised by tailored agreements.
In addition, the Bryde's whale is covered by the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (Pacific Cetaceans MOU).
and the Philippines
.
Modern whaling for Bryde's whales is thought to have begun from coastal stations in Japan
in 1906, where it continued uninterrupted until 1987—they were also caught offshore in the western North Pacific by both Japanese (1971–79) and Soviet
(1966–79) fleets, as well as from Taiwan
(1976–80), the Bonin Islands (1946–52 and 1981–87) and the Philippines
(1983–85). In 1997 it was estimated that over 20,000 Bryde's whales had been caught in the western North Pacific between 1911 and 1987 (it was later learned that the Japanese had falsified their reported take from the Bonin Islands between 1981–87, reporting a catch of only 2,659 instead of the true take of 4,162). A population assessment done in the mid-1990s stated that the population in the western North Pacific may have declined by as much as 49% during 1911–96. Norwegian factory ships off Baja California
took an additional 34 Bryde's whales between 1924–29; two were also caught off central California in 1966.
An estimated 5,542 Bryde's whales were caught off Peru
between 1968–83, including a reported catch of 3,589 between 1973–83. An unknown number were also caught off Chile
between 1932–79. Over 2,000 were caught off Cape Province, South Africa
, between 1911–67, most (1,300) during 1947–67. The majority of the 2,536 "sei" whales caught by the pirate whaler Sierra in the South Atlantic between 1969–76 are believed to have been Bryde's whales. At least some Bryde's whales were among the 5,000 "sei" whales recorded in the catch off Brazil
between 1948–77, but possibly only 8%.
Over 30,000 Bryde's whales were caught between 1911–87, including over 1,400 taken by the Soviets in the Southern Hemisphere between 1948–73 (only 19 were reported). The peak reported catches were reached in 1973–74 and 1974–75, when over 1,800 were taken each year. In 2000 the Japanese began implementing a scientific research program involving an annual catch of 50 Bryde's whales in the western North Pacific. Nearly 500 have been caught since the program began (as of 2009).
These whales are protected in the USA by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.
Baleen whale
The Baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, form the Mysticeti, one of two suborders of the Cetacea . Baleen whales are characterized by having baleen plates for filtering food from water, rather than having teeth. This distinguishes them from the other suborder of cetaceans,...
s, one of the "great whales" or rorqual
Rorqual
Rorquals are the largest group of baleen whales, with nine species in two genera. They include the largest animal that has ever lived, the Blue Whale, which can reach , and another that easily reaches ; even the smallest of the group, the Northern Minke Whale, reaches .-Characteristics:Rorquals...
s. They prefer tropical and temperate waters over the polar seas that other whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
s in their family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
frequent. They are largely coastal rather than pelagic. Bryde's whales are very similar in appearance to sei whale
Sei Whale
The sei whale , Balaenoptera borealis, is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale. It inhabits most oceans and adjoining seas, and prefers deep offshore waters. It avoids polar and tropical waters and semi-enclosed bodies of water...
s and almost as large.
"Bryde" is sometimes misheard as "brutus whale". The name comes from the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
consul to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Johan Bryde
Johan Bryde
Johan Bryde was a Norwegian ship-owner, whaler and businessperson. Bryde's whale is named after him.He was born in Laurvig. He founded a shipping company in Sandefjord in 1890. Whaling was the foremost business in Sandefjord, and from 1908 Bryde managed whaling out of Southern Africa.Bryde is also...
, who helped set up the first whaling station in Durban, South Africa in 1908.
They inhabit tropical and subtropical waters worldwide.
Bryde's whales are considered medium-sized for balaenopterids, dark gray in color with a white underbelly.
Taxonomy
The taxonomy is poorly characterized. Three genetically distinct, candidate species/subspecies/morphologies, Bryde's whale B. brydei, Bryde's/Eden's whale B. edeni, and Omura's whale B. omurai, differentiate by geographic distribution, inshore/offshore preferences, and size. For at least two of the species, the scientific name B. edeni is common. Omura's whaleBalaenoptera omurai
Omura's whale is a species of rorqual about which very little is known.The scientific description of this whale was made in the November 20, 2003, edition of Nature by three Japanese scientists, Shiro Wada, Masayuki Oishi and Tadasu K. Yamada...
, a pygmy
Pygmy
Pygmy is a term used for various ethnic groups worldwide whose average height is unusually short; anthropologists define pygmy as any group whose adult men grow to less than 150 cm in average height. A member of a slightly taller group is termed "pygmoid." The best known pygmies are the Aka,...
, is only recently described and reaches only 37.5–39 ft (11.4–11.9 ).
They were not described until 1878, from a stranded specimen on the coast of Burma, which was given the name Balaenoptera edeni. In 1913, whales off the coast of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
were described as Balaenoptera brydei, the name being given to honour Johan Bryde, Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
consul and pioneer of the South African whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
industry.
By the 1950s, scientists grouped them in a single species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, B. edeni, retaining Bryde's whale as the common name.
Description
Females average over 42 feet (12.8 m), ranging between 40–50 ft (12.2–15.2 ). On average females weigh 26400 pounds (11,974.8 kg), weighing up to 55000 pounds (24,947.6 kg). Males are usually slightly smaller than females.Anatomy
The Bryde's whale is a baleenBaleen
Baleen or whalebone is a filter-feeder system inside the mouths of baleen whales. The baleen system works when a whale opens its mouth underwater and then water pours into the whale's mouth. The whale then pushes the water out, and animals such as krill are filtered by the baleen and remain as food...
whale, more specifically a rorqual
Rorqual
Rorquals are the largest group of baleen whales, with nine species in two genera. They include the largest animal that has ever lived, the Blue Whale, which can reach , and another that easily reaches ; even the smallest of the group, the Northern Minke Whale, reaches .-Characteristics:Rorquals...
belonging to the same group as blue whales and humpback whales. It has twin blowholes with a low splashguard to the front. Like other rorquals, it has no teeth, but has two rows of baleen plates.
The head of Bryde's whales makes up about 25% of the body, with relatively large eyes. Each side of the mouth features 250–410 coarse gray baleen plates up to 40 centimetres (15.7 in) long. Forty to 70 ventral pleats are located on the animal's underside. Omura's whales have 180–210 baleen plates on each side and 80–90 ventral pleats. Bryde's whale is unique amongst rorquals in that it has three longitudinal ridges on its rostrum
Rostrum (anatomy)
The term rostrum is used for a number of unrelated structures in different groups of animals:*In crustaceans, the rostrum is the forward extension of the carapace in front of the eyes....
, from the tip of the snout back to the blowhole. Sei whale
Sei Whale
The sei whale , Balaenoptera borealis, is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale. It inhabits most oceans and adjoining seas, and prefers deep offshore waters. It avoids polar and tropical waters and semi-enclosed bodies of water...
s, with which they are often mistaken, like other rorquals, have a single median ridge. Omura's whales have no ridges.
These whales have an erect, curved, pointed, "falcate" dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
located far down its back and broad flukes. The dorsal fin is visible at the surface. The broad, centrally notched tail flukes never break the surface. The flippers are small and slender.
Color varies: the back is generally dark grey or blue to black. The ventral area is a lighter cream, shading to greyish purple on the belly. Some have a number of whitish-grey spots, which may be scars from parasites or shark attacks. Omuras have asymmetrical head coloring, similar to fin whale
Fin Whale
The fin whale , also called the finback whale, razorback, or common rorqual, is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales. It is the second longest whale and the sixth largest living animal after the blue whale, bowhead whale, and right whales, growing to nearly 27 metres long...
s.
Behavior
Their blow is columnar or bushy, about 10–13 ft (3–4 ) high. Sometimes they blow or exhale while under water. Bryde's whales display seemingly erratic behavior compared to other baleens, because they surface at irregular intervals and can change directions for unknown reasons.They usually appear individually or in pairs, and occasionally in loose aggregations of up to twenty animals around feeding areas.
Breathing
They regularly dive for about 5–15 minutes (maximum of 20 minutes) after 4–7 blows. Bryde's whales are capable of reaching depths up to 1000 feet (304.8 m). When submerging, these whales do not display their flukes. Bryde's whales commonly swim at 1–4 mph (0.44704–1.8 ), but can reach 12–15 mph (5.4–6.7 ).They sometimes generate short (0.4 seconds) powerful, low frequency vocalizations that resemble a human moan.
Diet
These whales opportunistically feed on planktonPlankton
Plankton are any drifting organisms that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh water. That is, plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than phylogenetic or taxonomic classification...
(e.g., krill
Krill
Krill is the common name given to the order Euphausiacea of shrimp-like marine crustaceans. Also known as euphausiids, these small invertebrates are found in all oceans of the world...
and copepods), and crustaceans (e.g. pelagic red crabs, shrimp), as well as schooling fish (e.g., anchovy
Anchovy
Anchovies are a family of small, common salt-water forage fish. There are 144 species in 17 genera, found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Anchovies are usually classified as an oily fish.-Description:...
, herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
, sardine
Sardine
Sardines, or pilchards, are several types of small, oily fish related to herrings, family Clupeidae. Sardines are named after the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, around which they were once abundant....
, mackerel
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
, and pilchard). Bryde's whales use several feeding methods, including skimming the surface, lunging, and bubble nets.
Reproduction and nurturing
Bryde's whales breed in alternate years, apparently in any season, with an autumnal peak. Their gestation period is estimated at 12 months. Calves are about 11–13 ft (3.4–4 ) long at birth and weigh 1000 kilograms (2,204.6 lb). They become sexually mature at 8–13 years of age, when females are 39 feet (11.9 m). The mother nurses for 6–12 months.Range and habitat
Bryde's whales prefer highly productive tropical, subtropical and warm temperate waters of 61–72 °F (16.1–22.2 C). Pygmies may prefer waters near the coast and continental shelf.Bryde's whales inhabit the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, from 40° South to 40° North. Some populations migrate seasonally, moving towards higher latitudes during the summer and towards the equator during the winter. Uniquely among baleen whales, some populations do not migrate. The distribution of Omura's whales includes the nearshore and continental shelf waters of southeast Asia, east India, and the western Pacific.
Population
There may be up to 90,000–100,000 animals worldwide, with two-thirds inhabiting the Northern Hemisphere.For management purposes, the U.S. population is divided into three groups: the Eastern Tropical Pacific stock (11,000–13,000 animals), Hawaiian stock (350–500), and Northern Gulf of Mexico stock (25–40). There are an estimated 12 animals in the waters off California, Oregon, and Washington, where only a single confirmed sighting has been made (in 1991, off Central California) in the last couple decades. The sighting is considered extralimital, just north of the species' normal range in the eastern North Pacific (about Sebastián Vizcaíno Bay
Sebastián Vizcaíno Bay
Sebastián Vizcaíno Bay is a bay along the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. It is part of the El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve. It lies off the Pacific coast of Ensenada Municipality and Mulegé Municipality....
, on the west coast of Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
). A whale watching
Whale watching
Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and other cetaceans in their natural habitat. Whales are watched most commonly for recreation but the activity can also serve scientific or educational purposes. A 2009 study, prepared for IFAW, estimated that 13 million people went whale watching...
tour out of Dana Point, California
Dana Point, California
-Climate:Dana Point enjoys a mild climate where temperatures tend to average around the 60's. The warmest month of the year is August with an average temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit. The coldest month is December with an average minimum temperature of 44 degrees Fahrenheit.-2010:The 2010...
has twice claimed to have sighted Bryde’s whales, the first time on 12 March 2003 involving four individuals, and the second on 6 September 2007 involving a pair of individuals.
There are insufficient data to determine population trends.
Conservation
Bryde's whale is listed as Data Deficient by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). It is also listed in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I, which prohibits international trade. Omura's whale is not listed by the IUCN.The Bryde's whale is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). It is listed on Appendix II as it has an unfavourable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international co-operation organised by tailored agreements.
In addition, the Bryde's whale is covered by the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (Pacific Cetaceans MOU).
Whaling
Historically, this species was not significantly targeted by commercial whalers, but became more important in the 1970s as the industry depleted other targets. The Japanese hunt this species as part of their scientific whaling program. Artisanal whalers have taken them off the coasts of IndonesiaIndonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Modern whaling for Bryde's whales is thought to have begun from coastal stations in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1906, where it continued uninterrupted until 1987—they were also caught offshore in the western North Pacific by both Japanese (1971–79) and Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(1966–79) fleets, as well as from Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
(1976–80), the Bonin Islands (1946–52 and 1981–87) and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
(1983–85). In 1997 it was estimated that over 20,000 Bryde's whales had been caught in the western North Pacific between 1911 and 1987 (it was later learned that the Japanese had falsified their reported take from the Bonin Islands between 1981–87, reporting a catch of only 2,659 instead of the true take of 4,162). A population assessment done in the mid-1990s stated that the population in the western North Pacific may have declined by as much as 49% during 1911–96. Norwegian factory ships off Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
took an additional 34 Bryde's whales between 1924–29; two were also caught off central California in 1966.
An estimated 5,542 Bryde's whales were caught off Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
between 1968–83, including a reported catch of 3,589 between 1973–83. An unknown number were also caught off Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
between 1932–79. Over 2,000 were caught off Cape Province, South Africa
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
, between 1911–67, most (1,300) during 1947–67. The majority of the 2,536 "sei" whales caught by the pirate whaler Sierra in the South Atlantic between 1969–76 are believed to have been Bryde's whales. At least some Bryde's whales were among the 5,000 "sei" whales recorded in the catch off Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
between 1948–77, but possibly only 8%.
Over 30,000 Bryde's whales were caught between 1911–87, including over 1,400 taken by the Soviets in the Southern Hemisphere between 1948–73 (only 19 were reported). The peak reported catches were reached in 1973–74 and 1974–75, when over 1,800 were taken each year. In 2000 the Japanese began implementing a scientific research program involving an annual catch of 50 Bryde's whales in the western North Pacific. Nearly 500 have been caught since the program began (as of 2009).
Other Threats
Bryde's whales have not been reported as taken or injured in fishing operations. Bryde's whales are also sometimes killed or injured by ship strikes. Anthropogenic noise is an increasing concern for all rorquals, which communicate via low-frequency sounds.These whales are protected in the USA by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.
Sightings
- On 23 August 2007, a large whale with wounds in several body parts was found dead in waters off the town of Tagdon, Barcelona in SorsogonSorsogonSorsogon is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region; it is the southernmost province in Luzon and is subdivided into fourteen municipalities and one city. Its capital is Sorsogon City and borders the province of Albay to the north...
province in the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The 14 metres (45.9 ft) long, 7 LT corpse was later identified as a Bryde's whale. This species frequents the coastal waters of the central Philippines, specifically the waters off SiquijorSiquijorSiquijor is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor. To the northwest of Siquijor are Cebu and Negros, to the northeast is Bohol and to the south, across the Bohol Sea, is Mindanao.Siquijor is the third...
, BoholBoholBohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...
, PalawanPalawanPalawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
and CamiguinCamiguinCamiguin is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about off the northern coast of Misamis Oriental in Mindanao. It is the second-smallest province both in population and land area after Batanes...
.
- On 13 October 2008, a 10 metres (32.8 ft) long, 3 LT live Bryde's whale beached itself in the estuary of the Nenasi River, Pekan, Malaysia. Despite villagers' attempts to save it, the whale died.
- On 4 October 2009, a 41.5 feet (12.6 m)-long Bryde's whale died in Tampa Bay (Tampa, FloridaTampa, FloridaTampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, USA), and had to be removed from a busy shipping channel. Rescuers pulled the whale from the water onto the shore of Fort De Soto ParkFort De Soto ParkFort De Soto Park is located just outside the city of St. Petersburg, Florida. This park, operated by Pinellas County, is made up from five offshore keys, or islands lying to the city's south-southwest: Madelaine Key, St. Jean Key, St. Christopher Key, Bonne Fortune Key and the main island, Mullet...
, where a necropsy revealed fractured ribs and shredded muscle consistent with a boat strike. The whale was buried off shore by the park.
- On 16 January 2010, a 12 metres (39.4 ft) long Bryde's whale was found dead, washed up on a Puget Sound beach near Olympia, Washington. After a necropsy by local biologists, it was ceremonially processed by members of the Squaxin Island TribeSquaxin Island TribeThe Squaxin Island Tribe is a Native American tribal government in western Washington state in the United States. The Squaxin Island Tribe is made up of several Lushootseed clans: the Noo-Seh-Chatl, Steh-Chass, Squi-Aitl, T'Peeksin, Sa-Heh-Wa-Mish, Squawksin, and S'Hotle-Ma-Mish...
, who will reassemble it for display in their tribal museum.
- On 8 April 2010, a Bryde's whale (as identified by the local environmental and oceanography organizations) was beached on El Mogote beach in front of the Paraiso del Mar resort on the Sea of Cortez, just outside La Paz, Mexico. After several hours of rescue attempts, the whale was freed and swam out to sea. It appeared healthy and there were no reports of the whale returning to shore. The whale was found beached early in the morning. It was successfully freed around 4 pm, after the tide came in, with the assistance of several boats, the Marines and many local volunteers from shore. Although a minor cut to the whale's skin near its fluke occurred when volunteers tried to free the whale using an inadequately sized rope, it was otherwise in excellent shape with no evidence of scars or other injuries. It looked to be a very heathy whale. Many pictures of this whale and the rescue attempts have been posted online.
- A pod of 20 Bryde's whales were spotted in the upper Gulf of Thailand off the province of Phetchaburi in September 2010, causing a stir in the media and concern from conservation groups about an influx of watchers.
- On 4 December 2010, a Bryde's whale washed up dead on a beach in the Totten Inlet of South Puget Sound near Olympia, Washington. The injured whale was first spotted in November, missing large chunks of flesh and blubber that may have been caused by a boat propeller.
- On the 26th of December 2010, a Bryde's whale washed up on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. The animal was alive and attempts were made to refloat it on the incoming tide. These attempts were unsuccessful however, and it died before it was able to be taken back out to sea.
External links
- http://www.pacificcetaceans.org/ Official webpage of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region
- Bryde's Whale – American Cetacean Society