Abstract:
Results from the second year of a three-year project investigating the distribution, demographics, and behavior of cetaceans
in the US Navy’s Southern California operational area are summarized. Eighteen small vessel surveys for cetaceans, which
included species verification tests in conjunction with M3R (Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Undersea Ranges) acoustic
monitoring at the Southern California Anti-submarine Warfare Range (SOAR), as well as photo-identification, satellite
tagging, and biopsy sampling of species of interest, were conducted in July 2011 and January and March 2012. 112 groups of
14 cetacean species were encountered. Twenty-one satellite tags, some depth reporting, were deployed on four species, with
an emphasis on Cuvier’s beaked and fin whales. Among other findings, preliminary results of photo-identification studies
combined with results from satellite tag data suggest that both Cuvier’s beaked whales and fin whales may have population
sub-units with higher than expected residency to the Southern California Bight. Beaked whales particularly show this higher
than expected residency to SOAR.
