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Towards population-level conservation in the critically endangered Antarctic blue whale: the number and distribution of their populations
Attard, C.R.M.; Beheregaray, L.B.; Möller, L.M. (2016). Towards population-level conservation in the critically endangered Antarctic blue whale: the number and distribution of their populations. NPG Scientific Reports 6(22291): 11 pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep22291
In: Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group). Nature Publishing Group: London. ISSN 2045-2322; e-ISSN 2045-2322, more
Peer reviewed article  

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Keywords
    Balaenoptera musculus intermedia Burmeister, 1872 [WoRMS]
    Marine/Coastal

Authors  Top 
  • Attard, C.R.M.
  • Beheregaray, L.B.
  • Möller, L.M.

Abstract
    Population-level conservation is required to prevent biodiversity loss within a species, but it first necessitates determining the number and distribution of populations. Many whale populations are still depleted due to 20th century whaling. Whales are one of the most logistically difficult and expensive animals to study because of their mobility, pelagic lifestyle and often remote habitat. We tackle the question of population structure in the Antarctic blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) – a critically endangered subspecies and the largest extant animal – by capitalizing on the largest genetic dataset to date for Antarctic blue whales. We found evidence of three populations that are sympatric in the Antarctic feeding grounds and likely occupy separate breeding grounds. Our study adds to knowledge of population structure in the Antarctic blue whale. Future research should invest in locating the breeding grounds and migratory routes of Antarctic blue whales through satellite telemetry to confirm their population structure and allow population-level conservation.

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