MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Whale monitoring in South Atlantic

A group of Brazilian scientists will be satellite monitoring five “Jubarte” whales (humpback or black whales, megaptera novaengliae) in their travel from the coast of Rio do Janeiro to Antarctic waters.

According to one of the marine biologists of the program, Jose Luiz Pizzorno, the five whales with mini transmitters in their dorsal fins have already began the journey and will be tracked in the South Atlantic with the Argos net.

"Our objective is to collect more information on the mating and calving of these whales. Currently we have a vague idea of their movements south, but we ignore the time involved, final destination in the Antarctic, if they are solitary or prefer groups", said Mr. Pizzorno.

The Brazilian National Council for the endowment of Scientific and Technological Development together with Shell Oil are participating in the project that was started in 2001.

However it was only this year that transmitters were finally fitted in the group of whales that is now off the coast of north Rio do Janeiro.