Genetic tagging of humpback whales

Per J. Palsbøll (), Judith Allen, Martine Bérube´, Phillip J. Clapham, Tonnie P. Feddersen, Philip S. Hammond, Richard R. Hudson, Hanne Jørgensen, Steve Katona, Anja Holm Larsen, Finn Larsen#, Jon Lien, David K. Mattila, Jóhann Sigurjónsson, Richard Sears, Tim Smith, Renate Sponer, Peter Stevick and Nils Øien
Additional contact information
Per J. Palsbøll: Universitetsparken 15
Judith Allen: Allied Whale, College of the Atlantic
Martine Bérube´: Universitetsparken 15
Phillip J. Clapham: Center for Coastal Studies
Tonnie P. Feddersen: Universitetsparken 15
Philip S. Hammond: Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews
Richard R. Hudson: University of California
Hanne Jørgensen: Universitetsparken 15
Steve Katona: Allied Whale, College of the Atlantic
Anja Holm Larsen: Universitetsparken 15
Finn Larsen#: Greenland Institute of Natural Resources
Jon Lien: Whale Research Group, Memorial University
David K. Mattila: Center for Coastal Studies
Jóhann Sigurjónsson: Marine Research Institute, Skulagata 4
Richard Sears: Mingan Island Cetacean Study Inc.
Tim Smith: US National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Renate Sponer: Universitetsparken 15
Peter Stevick: Allied Whale, College of the Atlantic
Nils Øien: Institute of Marine Research

Nature, 1997, vol. 388, issue 6644, 767-769

Abstract: Abstract The ability to recognize individual animals has substantially increased our knowledge of the biology and behaviour of many taxa1. However, not all species lend themselves to this approach, either because of insufficient phenotypic variation or because tag attachment is not feasible. The use of genetic markers (‘tags’) represents a viable alternative to traditional methods of individual recognition, as they are permanent and exist in all individuals. We tested the use of genetic markers as the primary means of identifying individuals in a study of humpback whales in the North Atlantic Ocean. Analysis of six microsatellite loci2,3 among 3,060 skin samples collected throughout this ocean allowed the unequivocal identification of individuals. Analysis of 692 ‘recaptures’, identified by their genotype, revealed individual local and migratory movements of up to 10,000 km, limited exchange among summer feeding grounds, and mixing in winter breeding areas, and also allowed the first estimates of animal abundance based solely on genotypic data. Our study demonstrates that genetic tagging is not only feasible, but generates data (for example, on sex) that can be valuable when interpreting the results of tagging experiments.

Date: 1997
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DOI: 10.1038/42005

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