Summer incidence of humpback whales on the west coast of South Africa

Abstract

A total of 14 sightings of 25 humpback whales was recorded from temperate waters of the west coast of South Africa in summer (December–February). In addition, a 6, 45 m individual (estimated age 6½ months) stranded at St Helena Bay in February 1982, and a 6, 15 m individual (estimated age 4(Equation presented) months) was found ensnared in the buoy line of a lobster trap off Saldanha Bay in December 1990. These records suggest that certain individuals, particularly juveniles, may not undertake the summer feeding migration. Although the 6, 45 m individual was emaciated when stranded, the 6, 15 m individual had been feeding on stomatopods, indicating that some individuals feed opportunistically during the summer off the west coast of South Africa. © 1995 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.