First Reported Encounter of Bryde’s Whale and Interaction with Humpback Whales in the Gulf of Tribugá, Chocó, Northern Colombian Pacific

Abstract

Various species of cetaceans annually visit the Pacific coast of Colombia. Some only visit seasonally, while others are present throughout the year (Avila et al., 2013). Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) belonging to breeding stock G (BSG), recognized by the International Whaling Commission (Félix et al., 2021), are commonly seen in the Gulf of Tribugá (northern Colombian Pacific; Figure 1) on an annual basis— as early as May and as late as December (Avila et al., 2020). Other commonly sighted cetaceans in this area include various species of dolphins, such as bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris), and pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata) (Avila et al., 2013; Caicedo-Herrera et al., 2018), which are seen throughout the year (E. Gonzáles, pers. comm., 18 May 2022), though appear more frequently in certain months than others. Research is still ongoing to determine these dolphins’ populations, abundance, distribution, and habitat use within the region.