Foraging dives of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) in relation to larger zooplankton size prey availability in Golfo Nuevo, Península Valdés, Argentina

Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) in Golfo Nuevo, Península Valdés, Argentina, exhibit daytime foraging dives to exploit high concentrations of larger zooplankton near the seafloor, a behavior not previously documented. Using suction-cup-attached video-imaging tags (CRITTERCAMs), researchers tracked eight whales, observing feeding events during dives averaging 6 minutes and 45 seconds. Zooplankton samples revealed that euphausiids dominated deeper layers with five times higher biomass than subsurface copepods, suggesting SRWs target these prey during their ascent. This study provides critical insights into the foraging strategies of SRWs in a recognized calving ground, highlighting their adaptability to exploit deep-sea resources.

D’Agostino, V. C., Nocera, A. C., Abernathy, K., Wilson, A. M., Coscarella, M. A., & Degrati, M. (2024). Foraging dives of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) in relation to larger zooplankton size prey availability in Golfo Nuevo, Península Valdés, Argentina. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-63879-y