Matching of the Gray Whales of off Sakhalin and the Pacific Coast of Japan, with a Note on the Stranding at Wadaura, Japan in March, 2016

• 作者: Ayumi Hirose Gen Nakamura Hidehiro Kato Hiroshi Katsumata Kazutoshi Arai Minoru Akagi Yujin Kim
• 来源期刊: 动物科学期刊(英文)
• 学科: 医学
• 关键词: GRAY WHALE Eschrichtius robustus Stock STRANDING
• 年，卷（期）: 2017,（2）
• 页码范围: 168-178
• 页数: 11页
• 分类号: R73

摘要

The coast of Japan is a migratory corridor for the western stock of the gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), which was once considered as extinct and remains endangered. According to the historical records, from 1955 to 2014, only 21 gray whales occurrence has been recorded in 59 years. However, from 2015 to 2016, intensive occurrence including the seven sightings and the two strandings were noted. In this paper, we found that those sightings were re-sightings of the same individual, which was initially sighted off Sakhalin during August, 2014. On 4 March, 2016, a young female gray whale (8.9 m in body length) was stranded at Wadaura beach, Chiba prefecture. We also conducted research on this animal including taking pictures and external measurements. In addition, we flensed this animal to observe the internal organs and collect a skeletal specimen. The reason for the death of this animal remains unclear;however, from its external characteristics, we identified that this animal was not an identical one, sighted off Sakhalin and the coast of Japan from 2014 to 2016. On 5 April, 2016, another young female gray whale (7 m in body length) was stranded at Arai beach, Shizuoka prefecture. We concluded that from 2015 to 2016, at least three distinct gray whales have migrated along the coast of Japan.