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Part 3: Whale Species in the Caribbean: Who lives here?
The undersea topography of the Caribbean includes islands, offshore banks, estuaries, steep drop-offs and deep water basins. Coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove swamps constitute the coastal ecosystems. This diversity of conditions and habitats provides feeding and calving grounds for thirty species of cetaceans at some point in their life cycle. Some species, particularly dolphins and the larger odontocetes (toothed whales) are probably resident in the Caribbean throughout the year; others, such as the humpback whale, are known to migrate long distances, spending the summers in northern latitudes and wintering in the warmer waters of the Caribbean where they give birth (Ward and Moscrop 1999). Comprehensive information on cetacean populations and distribution in the Caribbean is still lacking and is largely derived from historical records of individual strandings, sightings and bycatch (accidental capture in nets intended for other marine species) (Ward and Moscrop 1999). Additionally, cetaceans can be difficult to identify from a distance, at sea, and particularly for those species which don’t spend long at the surface. The records, however sparse, still indicate a diverse fauna for the region.
The most reliably seen great whales are the Sperm, Humpback and Bryde’s whales. In addition to a small, probably resident population of Sperm whales off the west coast of Dominica, individuals have been sighted elsewhere in the region, some of which may be migratory. The Caribbean hosts the wintering population of western North Atlantic humpback whales. While concentrated on the outer edges of the Greater Antilles, they have been seen and heard throughout the region, suggesting they disperse once they arrive in the Caribbean (Swartz et al 2001). The Silver Banks, in the Dominican Republic’s Sanctuary for Marine Mammals (est’d 1996) are an excellent place to see these graceful creatures and their calves. Several individuals from the Dominican Republic have been re-identified with photographs off the coast of Northern New England, USA, where they summer in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The mostly tropical Bryde’s whale is common and regularly seen, particularly off the Grenadines.
Easily confused with the Bryde’s whale are the less common and rarely seen Sei and Fin whales. While both species are quite cosmopolitan in distribution, Sei whales prefer offshore waters, and Fin whales are more common at higher latitudes. Minke whales, the smallest of the baleen whales, have been recorded and it is hypothesized that the north Atlantic population may winter in the Caribbean. Blue whales have also been infrequently recorded.
The most dramatic and recognizable of the large odontocetes (toothed whales), the orca, or killer whale, is most likely to be seen on the outer periphery of the Antilles; the species is suspected to be resident throughout the year (Debrot 98). Short-fin pilot whales and false killer whales, two temperate/tropical species are regularly seen in the region, the latter of which will ride the bows of boats like their dolphin relatives.
Probably also resident are the pygmy and dwarf Sperm whales, and the pygmy killer whale, with the latter two species expected to be more common. Of the little-known beaked whales, three species have been recorded in the region; Cuvier’s and Gervais’ beaked whales are far more likely to be seen than the third species, Blainville’s beaked whale.
The bottlenose dolphin, probably the most widespread odontocete species in the region, has been the dolphin of choice for dolphinariums in the region. The highly acrobatic Stenella species (spotted, striped and spinner dolphins) are the most frequently sighted. Spinner and Atlantic Spotted dolphins tend to stay on the continental shelf and are better known from the north coasts of Venezuela and Brazil, while the Pantropical Spotted Dolphin and the Striped Dolphin are also seen in the Antilles (IWC). The shelf dolphins share their coastal habitat with the tucuxi, an animal which has a freshwater subspecies. Other dolphins seen in the islands include Fraser’s dolphin and the rough-toothed dolphin, which is most known from the Greater Antilles. There are only a handful of records for the melon-headed whale, Risso’s dolphin and clymene dolphin.
Visit our website to learn more!
Coming next week, the final installment in this four part series: Part 4: Whales and Dolphins: Threats and Future
The most reliably seen great whales are the Sperm, Humpback and Bryde’s whales. In addition to a small, probably resident population of Sperm whales off the west coast of Dominica, individuals have been sighted elsewhere in the region, some of which may be migratory. The Caribbean hosts the wintering population of western North Atlantic humpback whales. While concentrated on the outer edges of the Greater Antilles, they have been seen and heard throughout the region, suggesting they disperse once they arrive in the Caribbean (Swartz et al 2001). The Silver Banks, in the Dominican Republic’s Sanctuary for Marine Mammals (est’d 1996) are an excellent place to see these graceful creatures and their calves. Several individuals from the Dominican Republic have been re-identified with photographs off the coast of Northern New England, USA, where they summer in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The mostly tropical Bryde’s whale is common and regularly seen, particularly off the Grenadines.
Easily confused with the Bryde’s whale are the less common and rarely seen Sei and Fin whales. While both species are quite cosmopolitan in distribution, Sei whales prefer offshore waters, and Fin whales are more common at higher latitudes. Minke whales, the smallest of the baleen whales, have been recorded and it is hypothesized that the north Atlantic population may winter in the Caribbean. Blue whales have also been infrequently recorded.
The most dramatic and recognizable of the large odontocetes (toothed whales), the orca, or killer whale, is most likely to be seen on the outer periphery of the Antilles; the species is suspected to be resident throughout the year (Debrot 98). Short-fin pilot whales and false killer whales, two temperate/tropical species are regularly seen in the region, the latter of which will ride the bows of boats like their dolphin relatives.
Probably also resident are the pygmy and dwarf Sperm whales, and the pygmy killer whale, with the latter two species expected to be more common. Of the little-known beaked whales, three species have been recorded in the region; Cuvier’s and Gervais’ beaked whales are far more likely to be seen than the third species, Blainville’s beaked whale.
The bottlenose dolphin, probably the most widespread odontocete species in the region, has been the dolphin of choice for dolphinariums in the region. The highly acrobatic Stenella species (spotted, striped and spinner dolphins) are the most frequently sighted. Spinner and Atlantic Spotted dolphins tend to stay on the continental shelf and are better known from the north coasts of Venezuela and Brazil, while the Pantropical Spotted Dolphin and the Striped Dolphin are also seen in the Antilles (IWC). The shelf dolphins share their coastal habitat with the tucuxi, an animal which has a freshwater subspecies. Other dolphins seen in the islands include Fraser’s dolphin and the rough-toothed dolphin, which is most known from the Greater Antilles. There are only a handful of records for the melon-headed whale, Risso’s dolphin and clymene dolphin.
Visit our website to learn more!
Coming next week, the final installment in this four part series: Part 4: Whales and Dolphins: Threats and Future
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