Sightings of Cetaceans during JARE - 56 in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean

Abstract

The cetacean observation was made during the 56th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE - 56) cruise on the icebreaker SHIRASE, from 30 November to 15 December 2014 and from 15 February to 9 March 2015, in the Indian Ocean Sector of the Southern Ocean. A total of 28 sightings with 64 individuals of four cetacean species, humpback whale, (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis), and killer whale (Orcinus orca), are reported. The most sighted species was the humpback whale (13 sightings) and the maximum number of individuals in a group was six for the same species. All sightings were made higher than 60 degrees South, close to the Antarctica coast.