Synchronous Swimming and Diving Behaviour in a Group of Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus)

Abstract

The fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is a Balaenopterid (rorquals) currently listed as “Vulnerable” under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List (Cooke, 2018); however, there is a knowledge gap concerning the behavioural repertoire of this species—for instance, their collective navigation, feeding aggregations, socialisation, and resting (Mann, 1999; Würsig et al., 2017). Lack of this type of information can be problematic as species-specific behaviour and individual behavioural repertoires are important indicators for identifying welfare and conservation priorities (Whitehead, 1999; Nowacek et al., 2016; Atwood, 2017; Clegg & Butterworth, 2017). To build a comprehensive fin whale ethogram, an in-depth description of specific behaviours is essential for understanding behaviour functions and orienting future studies (Burghardt, 1985; Collin & Bekoff, 1999; Bates & Byrne, 2007). In this regard, on 13 July 2021, a focal study approach was used to document a large fin whale group synchronously swimming and diving in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Québec, Canada)