Presence of newborn humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calves in Gold Coast Bay, Australia

Abstract

The majority of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) undertake an annual migration from high latitude feeding grounds to tropical/subtropical breeding grounds. Suitable calving habitat for this species includes warm (typically 19°C to 28°C), shallow, sheltered waters in tropical and subtropical waters. Here, we investigated occurrence of calving beyond the primary recognised breeding grounds (16° to 24°S) of the east Australian humpback whale population (E1). We examined location, depth (m), and SST (⁰C) associated with newborn observations in Gold Coast Bay, in southern Queensland, Australia from 2013 to 2016. A total of 74 newborns were recorded in the study area, with the majority observed in July and August. These findings may signify that the Gold Coast Bay provides an apparently suitable habitat for calving for this humpback whale population. As the area has not been classified as calving habitat, these findings will assist conservation managers in making informed management decisions regarding this species.