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490 ABSTRACTS GEOGRAPHIC AND TEMPORAL VARIATION IN hundreds ofkilometres prior to and following visiting the AREA V HUMPBACK WHALE SONG (ABSTRACT) breedinggrounds.Thispaperdiscussessongcollectedduring Much ofthe background information on humpback whale theyearsof1986, 1991 and1993fromvariouslocationsalong songstructurecomesfrom theNorthern Hemisphere, where theeastcoastofAustralia,examiningtheinfluenceoflatitude populations are localised on mating and calving grounds. and seasonon songstructureduringmigration. phBoorpweueeldvaietnirognthsoeifitrehsmuimfgoprrbaattcihokenwSthoaauklteeshsetrhnhaevmHeencmolitosspebheeetonretihdeeAnrtceiofaaisetdV,, EZloioz.abPeOthBJo.xE2y0r,e,MoMsamrainne20M8a8,mmAuasltraDleipaa;rt2m9eAnutg,usTtar2o00n0g.a enablingresearcherstogaininsightintosongevolutionover ASSOCIATIONSAMONGHUMPBACKWHALESAT sevenmale-malepairsthatweresightedtogetherbothasduos THE ARCHIPIELAGO REVILLAGIGEDO, and in competitive groups, two of which were sighted PACIFICO MEXICANO, 1996-2000. (ABSTRACT) Since togetherinmultipleyears.Theseobservationsgiveadditional 1986 photographic identification studies ofthe humpback support to the idea that some males may form coalitions. whales (Megaptera novaeangUae) wintering among the These analyses will improve as we add more years of ArchipielagoRevillagigedohavedemonstratedaconsistently behavioral observations, and determine the sex of more highresightingrateofindividualswithin andbetweenyears individualsbybehaviorandbygeneticanalysisofbiopsyskin (40-50%). Tn 1996, we began a long-term study of this samples, which also will allow us to test the relatedness of populationtakingadvantageoftheseunusualresightingrates associates. We also plan to test the randomness of these toacquiredetailedbehavioraldata on many individuals. We associations. investigated patterns of association among the 631 Erin Andrea Falcone'(e-mail:[email protected]), Jeff toodiiannnmdtleeiayvsbgio,ardnsoueeuaapnltf.dsoirmAseal1iltg1lihhnptopafeuaiodigrurshrisnoytfeha1aews9rshs9voa,a6cls-i1et1a4s9tm2e9sadpi9jagoihbrirtinysetdywsmeetooarorfrgeeecwthshhietaenehlrgnaenisttnohaogemsenossteroihecgeihyrtaet2htai-aren7.ndg HKoCC.aefulrmiZcJbfohaoooicrlolnoo'dig,btays,e9RS5nit51'ca11at(80ree.9d-omUUGnaSiieGAvldo:e:drme2sje.sikztjUyAn1,vi(e&vaenci/ru-hsDeuia,tmPnybiAOoeonllftnlBM.eoieAcxdrChubhi)4ogo.r4al,9neS2.waMiliMAavcurkehes"/iate;gtouaar1m,ne. cRtroeimcopuser,triectnoitwva/escsagolrcofiautpwisiotnhsseolefdstcoeomnrotr)ce,ccuurwrrrheeeddr.ienaAssmmaoalnslsggorctoihuaeptsilo(indmsuiotsei,nd M4e8x1i0c9o-,10F79a,culUtSaAd;d3e, UCniienvceirassi,daAdPNac70i-o5n7a2l.AMuetxoincoomaDFd,e Mexico; 29August2000. sample of known-sex pairs, male-male associations were most prevalent and recurred most frequently. There were WHALE-WATCHINGINNEWCALEDONIA: ANEW The success of sighting whales varied from 50-80%. INDUSTRY. (POSTER) Commercial whale watching Consequently whalewatching is often associated with other cruises began in 1995. At that time 3 tourist operators activities, like sailing or scuba-diving, so as to be more completed only a few day cruises during the entire season attractivetotourists. from July to September. Since that time this commercial Guidelines on 'how to approach the whales1 have been activityhasgrown. In 1999, 141 cruiseswere realisedby 19 publishedin 1999bytheProvinceSouth,butNewCaledonia boats for more than 1,984 persons mainly originating from currently lacks any policy or management plan concerning New Caledonia. The direct economic value has reached 13 humpback whales within its territorial waters and perhaps million FCFP. more importantly, there is acompleteabsenceoflegislation The activity ofwhale watching is limited to one species: concerning cetaceans in New Caledonia. Issuesthatneed to the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangUae) which beaddressedarethepresentuncontrolleddevelopmentofthe migratestoNewCaledoniainwintertobreed.Thisactivityis whalewatchingindustryandtheimpactofhumanactivitieson locatedinthesouthernpartofthelagoonclosetoasheltered the well-beingofthe local humpbackwhalepopulation(e.g. bay, overhungby terrestrial observational points, in an area pollutionandmaritimetraffic). ttehrartesptrreiaslentesnvairroinchmeanntdfwaevlolurparbelseertvoedthneatudreavlelmoaprimneentanodf C1l2a8i2r7e, GNaorurmigeuae,&NeSwabrCianlaedVoiniiiya, (Oep-emraaitli:onopc.ecettaacceess(Ba)P. ecotourism. offratel.nc); 29August2000.