Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Identificación de áreas prioritarias para la conservación de cetáceos misticetos en los alrededores de la Isla de Margarita, Venezuela

2007; Volume: 67; Issue: 167 Linguagem: Inglês

2443-4698

Romina Acevedo, Lenin Oviedo, Noemí Silva,

Cephalopods and Marine Biology

Although 30% of baleen whale species are reported for Venezuelan waters, no protected area for these cetaceans exists. This article identifies priority zones for the conservation of mysticete c etaceans around Marga ri ta Island. Whale re c o rds (bibliogra p hy, inte rv i ews, and pers o n a l observations) were incorporated into a geographic information system (GIS), jointly with data on environmental variables. Bryde's whales (Balaenoptera edeni) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are the species of highest occurrence in the area. The following key areas were identified on the basis of topography and bathymetry: a) Margarita Island's east coast, Los Frailes archipelago and a portion of the Margarita-Los Testigos platform: warm protected waters favorable for groups of humpback mothers and calves; b) Cariaco trench, southwest of Margarita (deep waters), and c) edge of the continental shelf, north of Margarita (a transition area), suited for single humpback whales, including males. The distribution of B. edeniis wide and its overlap with areas inhabited by Megaptera novaeangliae. On the other hand, Megaptera novaeangliaehas restricted distribution and specific habitats requirements, which suggest that humpback whales should be considered as key species for the purpose of designing protected areas for the region.