Abstract
The Omura’s whale is one of the most recently described species of baleen whale. Initially known only from stranding and whaling specimens, it has now been identified in all ocean basins excluding the central and eastern Pacific. Unlike most baleen whales that migrate between the poles and the equator seasonally, the Omura’s whale is known to inhabit tropical to sub-tropical waters year-round. In Australian waters, there remain fewer than 30 confirmed visual sightings over the past decade. This study utilizes passive acoustic recordings from 41 locations around Australia from 2005 to 2023 to assess the distribution and seasonality of the Omura’s whale. The seasonal presence of Omura’s whale vocalizations varied by location, with higher presence at lower latitudes. Vocalizations were detected year-round in the Timor Sea and the Kimberley region. The most southerly occurrence of Omura’s whale vocalizations was recorded off the North West Cape, WA. In Australia, the vocalizations detected differ from those of other Indian Ocean Omura’s whale populations. Geographic variation of the vocalization was also observed within Australia, including vocalizations similar but not identical to those of the Omura’s whale detected in the Great Barrier Reef for the first time. The identified seasonal distribution and possible acoustic populations of the species in Australia provides valuable information to assess environmental and anthropogenic pressures on the Omura’s whale and to aid in creating management policies for the species.
Published Version
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