Shouyue Dong

Estimation of the detection probability for Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis) with a passive acoustic method.

Yangtze finless porpoises were surveyed by using simultaneous visual and acoustical methods from 6 November to 13 December 2006. Two research vessels towed stereo acoustic data loggers, which were used to store the intensity and sound source direction of the high frequency sonar signals produced by finless porpoises at detection ranges up to 300 m on each side of the vessel. Simple stereo beam forming allowed the separation of distinct biosonar sound source, which enabled us to count the number of vocalizing porpoises. Acoustically, 204 porpoises were detected from one vessel and 199 from the other vessel in the same section of the Yangtze River. Visually, 163 and 162 porpoises were detected from two vessels within 300 m of the vessel track. The calculated detection probability using acoustic method was approximately twice that for visual detection for each vessel. The difference in detection probabilities between the two methods was caused by the large number of single individuals that were missed by visual observers. However, the sizes of large groups were underestimated by using the acoustic methods. Acoustic and visual observations complemented each other in the accurate detection of porpoises. The use of simple, relatively inexpensive acoustic monitoring systems should enhance population surveys of free-ranging, echolocating odontocetes.

Scanning sonar of rolling porpoises during prey capture dives

SUMMARY Dolphins and porpoises have excellent biosonar ability, which they use for navigation, ranging and foraging. However, the role of biosonar in free-ranging small cetaceans has not been fully investigated. The biosonar behaviour and body movements of 15 free-ranging finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) were observed using electronic tags attached to the animals. The porpoises often rotated their bodies more than 60 deg., on average, around the body axis in a dive bout. This behaviour occupied 31% of the dive duration during 186 h of effective observation time. Rolling dives were associated with extensive searching effort, and 23% of the rolling dive time was phonated, almost twice the phonation ratio of upright dives. Porpoises used short inter-click interval sonar 4.3 times more frequently during rolling dives than during upright dives. Sudden speed drops, which indicated that an individual turned around, occurred 4.5 times more frequently during rolling dives than during upright dives. Together, these data suggest that the porpoises searched extensively for targets and rolled their bodies to enlarge the search area by changing the narrow beam axis of the biosonar. Once a possible target was detected, porpoises frequently produced short-range sonar sounds. Continuous searching for prey and frequent capture trials appeared to occur during rolling dives of finless porpoises. In contrast, head movements ranging ±2 cm, which can also change the beam axis, were regularly observed during both dives. Head movements might assist in instant assessment of the arbitrary direction by changing the beam axis rather than prey searching and pursuit.

Density estimation of Yangtze finless porpoises using passive acoustic sensors and automated click train detection

A method is presented to estimate the density of finless porpoises using stationed passive acoustic monitoring. The number of click trains detected by stereo acoustic data loggers (A-tag) was converted to an estimate of the density of porpoises. First, an automated off-line filter was developed to detect a click train among noise, and the detection and false-alarm rates were calculated. Second, a density estimation model was proposed. The cue-production rate was measured by biologging experiments. The probability of detecting a cue and the area size were calculated from the source level, beam patterns, and a sound-propagation model. The effect of group size on the cue-detection rate was examined. Third, the proposed model was applied to estimate the density of finless porpoises at four locations from the Yangtze River to the inside of Poyang Lake. The estimated mean density of porpoises in a day decreased from the main stream to the lake. Long-term monitoring during 466 days from June 2007 to May 2009 showed variation in the density 0-4.79. However, the density was fewer than 1 porpoise/km(2) during 94% of the period. These results suggest a potential gap and seasonal migration of the population in the bottleneck of Poyang Lake.

Simultaneous production of low- and high-frequency sounds by neonatal finless porpoises.

Phocoenids are generally considered to be nonwhistling species that produce only high-frequency pulsed sounds. Here our results show that neonatal finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) frequently produce clear low-frequency (2-3 kHz) pulsed signals, without distinct high-frequency energy, just after birth and can produce both low- (2-3 kHz) and high-frequency (>100 kHz) pulsed signals simultaneously until about 20 days postnatal. The results indicate that low-frequency signals of neonatal finless porpoises are not an early form of high-frequency signals and suggest that low- and high-frequency signals may be produced by different sound production mechanisms.

INDIRECT EVIDENCE OF BOAT AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOR OF YANGTZE FINLESS PORPOISES

1,3Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China. 3wangd@ihb.ac.cn 2NRIFE, Fisheries Research Agency, Hasaki, Kamisu, Ibaraki 314-0408, Japan. 4NOAA Fisheries, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. 5Baiji.org Foundation, Klosbachstrasse 106, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland. 6Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY, UK. 7Okapi Wildlife Associates, Hudson, Quebec J0P 1HO, Canada. 8Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, 2595 Ingraham Street, San Diego, CA 92109, USA. 9Department of Zoology, University of Hawai’i, Edmondson 152, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. 10University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, Box 355020, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.

Finding baiji and freshwater finless porpoises in the Yangtze River, China

A stereo passive acoustic event recorder (A-tag) has been applied for range-wide monitoring of baiji and finless porpoises in China. As the pilot study, two research vessels were operated in 1700 km historic habitat of both species from Yichang to Shanghai in 2006. There was no detection of baiji, but 204 and 199 porpoises were counted acoustically by two vessels, respectively. In order to investigate the population trends of cetaceans, periodical survey is necessary. We installed A-tag on the cargo ship, which was operated 1100 km in the river once every month. An average of 6059 clicks and 95 porpoises were acoustically detected in each survey. Detected group sizes of the animals in 120-s time window were not significantly different among the surveys, but the distribution pattern suggested seasonal migration. The animals were detected in most of the survey range except two gap sections with 40 and 60 km lengths, down from Wuhan and Nanjing cities, respectively, where no animals were detected in the first three surveys. Fragmentation of population by anthropological factors was concerned. The cargo ship based passive acoustic survey was effective to monitor the distribution and population trend over time.

Passive acoustical counting of odontocetes using towed and stationed platforms.

Counting the number of animals is essential for monitoring and management of marine mammals. Autonomous stereo acoustic event recorder (A‐tag) to identify each sound source enabled to count phonating odontocetes in the wild. Finless porpoises were surveyed by towed A‐tags in 1100 km stretch of Yangtze River from Wuhan to Shanghai. The calculated detection probability using acoustic method was approximately twice that for visual detection. The difference in detection probabilities between the two methods was caused by the large number of single individuals that were missed by visual observers. However, acoustics tended to underestimate group size due to the limited resolution of sound source bearing angles. The detection performance regarding stationary acoustic monitoring of this species was also examined. Three stereo acoustic data loggers were placed at different locations near the confluence of Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River. Acoustic monitoring confirmed the low density bottle neck of the populatio...