Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Harbor Porpoise Aggregations in the Salish Sea

Version 1 : Received: 7 June 2023 / Approved: 8 June 2023 / Online: 8 June 2023 (04:18:24 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Anderson, D.; Shuster, L.; Elliser, C.R.; MacIver, K.; Gless, E.J.; Krieger, J.; Hall, A. Harbor Porpoise Aggregations in the Salish Sea. Oceans 2023, 4, 269-285. Anderson, D.; Shuster, L.; Elliser, C.R.; MacIver, K.; Gless, E.J.; Krieger, J.; Hall, A. Harbor Porpoise Aggregations in the Salish Sea. Oceans 2023, 4, 269-285.

Abstract

Harbor porpoise are typically seen in small groups of 1-3 individuals, with aggregations of 20+ individuals treated as rare events. Since the 1990s, the harbor porpoise population in the Salish Sea has seen a significant recovery, which has led to an increased number of observed aggregations that exceed the more usual small group sizes. By combining the observational data of United States and Canadian research organizations, community scientists, and whale watch captains or naturalists, we demonstrate that harbor porpoise aggregations appear to be more common than previously known, with 160 aggregations documented in 2022 alone. Behavioral data also indicated that foraging behaviors were common and social behaviors, like mating, were seen more often during these encounters compared to small groups. Other behaviors that are considered to be rare or unknown, were also observed during these encounters, including cooperative foraging and vessel approach. These aggregations are likely important foraging and social gatherings for harbor porpoises. This holistic approach integrating data from two countries and multiple sources provides an ecosystem level assessment that more effectively reflects the habitat use of harbor porpoise in this region that do not recognize the socio-political boundaries imposed upon the natural world.

Keywords

harbor porpoise; aggregation; social behavior; Phocoena phocoena; foraging behavior; large group; transboundary; community science; Salish Sea

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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