The project would examine several important aspects of the use of Central American waters by North Pacific blue and humpback whales. Major objectives and some of the important questions that would be addressed are listed below:

 Determine the stock identity of blue whales in the Costa Rican Dome during winter months using photographic identification

Are they part of the same population seen in spring off Mexico and summer and fall off California?

Does the matching rate to California indicate it is only animals from that region using this wintering area or does there appear to be animals from other summer-fall feeding areas present?

 Determine whether blue whales are using the Costa Rican Dome as a feeding area or strictly for mating and giving birth to calves.

Are newborn calves present?

Is there evidence from their diving behavior, presence of prey, or fecal samples that these animals are feeding?

What is the group structure of animals seen?

 Test for genetic differences in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA between blue whales using the Costa Rican Dome and other sampled areas in the Northern Hemisphere

Do mDNA patterns indicate there could be animals present from more than one maternally-directed feeding areas?

Is there any sex bias in the animals present in the Costa Rican Dome?

 Describe and record the types of blue whale vocalizations heard in the Costa Rican Dome in winter

Are these similar to those heard in the eastern North Pacific?

Is there evidence of more than one type present?

Can links be made between vocalization type, individual ID, and any other visible features (coloration, size, remoras, etc.)?

 Determine what areas along the Central American coast are utilized as wintering/breeding areas by humpback whales

Is the established use of waters off the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica an isolated area used by North Pacific humpback whales or are animals utilizing a variety of areas?

Are there any common habitat features for the areas used as wintering areas?

 Determine the movement patterns and stock identity of humpback whales utilizing Central American waters during the winter

Do whales move freely over a broad portion of the coast?

What is the relationship of these whales to those utilizing the better studied sites off mainland Mexico?

 Evaluate the potential for whale watching aimed at humpback whales in Central America and provide guidelines for operators

What whale watching operations exist in the area and what is the future potential for such operations?

What guidelines or mechanisms are needed to insure such operations do not impact the whales?

 Examine reproductive rates of humpback whales along the coast of Central America to verify the apparent low rates of these animals off California (Steiger and Calambokidis, In press).

Are observed reproductive rates off Central America lower than seen at other wintering areas, paralleling the lower rate observed off California, where almost all of these animals migrate?

Is there evidence of either early weaning or calf mortality before arrival on the feeding areas that could explain the low rates observed off California?
 

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