Movements and dive patterns of pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata) released in the Gulf of Mexico following rehabilitation
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Published source details
Pulis E.E., Wells R.S., Schorr G.S., Douglas D.C., Samuelson M.M. & Solangi M. (2018) Movements and dive patterns of pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata) released in the Gulf of Mexico following rehabilitation. Aquatic Mammals, 44, 555-567.
Published source details Pulis E.E., Wells R.S., Schorr G.S., Douglas D.C., Samuelson M.M. & Solangi M. (2018) Movements and dive patterns of pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata) released in the Gulf of Mexico following rehabilitation. Aquatic Mammals, 44, 555-567.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Rehabilitate and release injured, sick or weak marine and freshwater mammals Action Link |
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Rehabilitate and release injured, sick or weak marine and freshwater mammals
A study in 2015–2016 of a pelagic area in the Gulf of Mexico, USA (Pulis et al. 2018) found that one of two stranded pygmy killer whales Feresa attenuata that were rehabilitated and released back into the wild survived for at least three months. One of two rehabilitated male pygmy killer whales survived for at least 88 days after release, after which contact was lost with the transmitter. The pygmy killer whale used a 250-km span of continental shelf and travelled an average of 24 km/day. The other pygmy killer whale was tracked for 15 days before contact was lost and is likely to have died (diving behaviour was reduced before loss of contact). Two adult pygmy killer whales were found stranded in an estuary on 1 September 2015 and transported to a rehabilitation facility. On 11 July 2016, both pygmy killer whales were satellite-tagged and released offshore in water >200 m deep with known sightings of other pygmy killer whales. The whales were tracked to 129–947 locations during 15–88 days in July–October 2016.
(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
