Data collected opportunistically aboard marine wildlife tourism vessels are an inexpensive source of spatial information on the target species. Although these data are often challenging to analyze, they can be used to monitor spatiotemporal changes in species distribution and behavior. Disruptions from whale‐watching vessels to behaviors such as foraging can be particularly harmful to cetaceans, but impacts could be reduced if areas essential for these sensitive behaviors are identified. We used data collected onboard whale‐watching vessels to explore space‐use patterns in long‐finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) off northern Cape Breton Island, Canada, an area where tourism is essential. Encounters with pilot whales between 2011–2016 occurred twice as far offshore than during 2003–2006 and 2008, and foraging activity decreased. Despite the changes in distribution and activity budgets, we identified two hot spots of foraging activity that persisted through time. These identified foraging hot spots comprised only a small proportion (20 km2) of the range used by whale‐watching vessels. Adaptive local management (e.g., voluntary codes of conduct) focused on limiting interactions in these energetically important areas may help reduce any potential impacts from whale‐watching and promote the continued viability of the whale population and the tourism industry that relies on it.
Individual differences in oxygen storage and carrying capacity have been associated with differences in foraging success and fitness-related traits. For air-breathing aquatic animals, such differences can limit diving ability, and thus resource access. As many seabirds deplete their energy reserves during breeding and moulting periods, winter foraging efficiency can influence their breeding behaviour and success. Using gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua), we investigate (1) if inter-individual variation in diving efficiency is associated with indices of oxygen storage and carrying capacity (hemoglobin, hematocrit, body mass), and (2) if an individual's pre-breeding foraging effort is associated with these oxygen indices and breeding status. Hemoglobin was positively correlated with diving efficiency, particularly for deeper dives, and only penguins with high hemoglobin levels frequently dove at depth ≥ 140m. However, pre-breeding foraging effort increased with hemoglobin levels, a relationship likely explained by the fact that reaching deep offshore waters requires additional travelling compared to nearshore foraging. The relationship with hematocrit was non-linear, suggesting that commonly-used analyses may not be appropriate for this index. We found that early-laying penguins spent less time at sea prior to nesting than non-breeding penguins. Our study suggests that diving ability, and thus likely access to resources, is linked to aerobic capacity, and that lower foraging effort is associated with early laying. These associations suggest that anthropogenic changes (e.g., an increase in shallow water fisheries) may have differing impacts on individuals. Further understanding these links could help the conservation of diving species.
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