%0 Report %D 2020 %T Monitoring Population Dynamics of ‘Western’ Right Whales off Southern Australia 2018-2021 - Progress Report on activities for 2019 %A Joshua N. Smith %A Diana Jones %A Kenny Travouillon %A N. Kelly %A M C Double %A John Bannister %K aerial survey %K commercial whaling %K Southern right whale %X

Annual aerial surveys of Australia’s ‘western’ population of southern right whales have been conducted between Cape Leeuwin WA and Ceduna SA since 1993 to monitor recovery from commercial whaling. The latest Hub-funded survey extended for seven days in August 2019. Over 40 flying hours, 1111 right whales were sighted, including 425 calves, and 299 images were selected for computer-assisted ‘matching’ via the ARWPIC catalogue. The resulting population size estimate for ‘western’ Australian sub-population is 3164 whales. Estimates from 2018 and 2019 are the largest for the population since 1993 and are consistent with an increasing population trend of approximately 6% per year (based on counts of cow/calf pairs).

%8 16 Jun 2020 %G eng