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Species occurrence of cetaceans in Guinea, including humpback whales with southern hemisphere seasonality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2010

I.L. Bamy ,
K. Van Waerebeek ,
S.S. Bah ,
M. Dia ,
B. Kaba ,
N. Keita  and
S. Konate
I.L. Bamy
Affiliation:
Centre National des Sciences Halieutiques de Boussoura (CNSHB), BP-3738 Boussoura, Conakry, Guinea
K. Van Waerebeek*
Affiliation:
COREWAM-Ghana, PO Box PG99, EcoLab, University of Ghana, & CEPEC, Museo de Delfines, Pucusana, Lima 20, Peru
S.S. Bah
Affiliation:
Direction Nationale de la Protection de la Nature, Ministère de l'Environnement, Conakry, Guinea
M. Dia
Affiliation:
Direction Nationale des Eaux et Forêts, Ministère de l'Agriculture, de l'Elevage et des Forêts, Conakry, Guinea
B. Kaba
Affiliation:
Centre de Recherches Océanographiques de Rogbané (CERESCOR), BP 561 Rogbané, Conakry, Guinea
N. Keita
Affiliation:
Direction Nationale de la Protection de la Nature, Ministère de l'Environnement, Conakry, Guinea
S. Konate
Affiliation:
Centre de Recherches Océanographiques de Rogbané (CERESCOR), BP 561 Rogbané, Conakry, Guinea
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Koen Van Waerebeek, COREWAM-Ghana, PO Box PG99, EcoLab University of Ghana, and CEPEC, Museo de Delfines, Pucusana, Lima 20, Peru email: corewam@gmail.com
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Abstract

An initial inventory of the dolphins and whales occurring in Guinea's coastal waters is documented primarily from specimens and photographic evidence obtained from strandings and by-catches. Seven species are fully validated, four odontocetes, Tursiops truncatus, Sousa teuszii, Stenella frontalis, Kogia breviceps and three balaenopterid whales: Balaenoptera brydei, Balaenoptera acutorostrata and Megaptera novaeangliae. Another three reported species (Globicephala macrorhynchus, Steno bredanensis and Delphinus delphis) are insufficiently supported but thought to be valid. Small cetaceans landed as by-catch and a stranded whale were used for human consumption, but no evidence of substantial takes, directed or by-catch, was found. However, concern is raised about even minimal takes of the vulnerable Atlantic humpback dolphin. The seasonal presence of three confirmed humpback whales, two strandings (July and September) and a sighting (October), is synchronous with the species' southern hemisphere wintering/breeding season in low latitudes. We hypothesize that these whales may comprise the north-westernmost range of the population that breeds/overwinters in coastal waters of the Bight of Benin, northern Gulf of Guinea.

Keywords

Guineaeastern tropical Atlanticwhalesdolphinsoccurrenceby-catchstrandingsbiodiversity
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 3 , June 2010 , e48
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2010

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