Joëlle De Weerdt

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• Postdoc
• PhD Student at Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Documenting species occurrence and distribution patterns is fundamental for effective conservation strategies, particularly for endangered species facing various threats. Killer whales ( Orcinus orca ) are distributed worldwide, yet some populations, such as the critically endangered Strait of Gibraltar subpopulation, lack comprehensive distributio...

Here, we report the first sighting records of Bryde's whales in Nicaragua. Four sightings were made in 2022 during boat-based surveys off the southwestern coast of Nicaragua. Photo-identification, distributional data, dive times, and behavioural information were collected, and environmental parameters, including sea surface temperature, were measur...

For the 40 years after the end of commercial whaling in 1976, humpback whale populations in the North Pacific Ocean exhibited a prolonged period of recovery. Using mark–recapture methods on the largest individual photo-identification dataset ever assembled for a cetacean, we estimated annual ocean-basin-wide abundance for the species from 2002 thro...

Records of pinnipeds along the Pacific coastlines of Central America are sparse, limiting our understanding of which species occur in the region. In Nicaragua, little is known about the presence and distribution of pinnipeds which visit or temporarily inhabit the Pacific coast. Compiling sighting information on pinniped occurrence and confirming sp...

Introduction: Humpback whales belonging to the Central American (CA) Distinct Population Segment breed off the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. Knowledge on this endangered population and its conservation status is limited. Objective: The aim of this study is to provide the first description of the CA humpback whale song off Nicaragua, which helps furth...

Introduction: Worldwide, false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) are infrequently encountered, yet long-term studies have shown strong site fidelity as well as long-term associations among individuals in several locations. Detailed studies of this species have primarily been conducted around tropical oceanic islands or in the subtropi�cal sout...

A new record of a white humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) was made off Papeete, Tahiti in July 2019. The individual was completely white, except for grey patterns on its body and on the ventral part of the fluke. The presence of different colourations indicates that this individual is not an albino but a leucistic individual. According to f...

Understanding the migratory patterns of large whales is of conservation importance, especially in identifying threats to specific populations. Migration ecology, including migratory destinations, movements and site fidelity for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) remain poorly studied in parts of the range of the Central America population, co...

The pantropical spotted dolphin in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) is found in two genetically and phenotypically diverged ecotypes, coastal and offshore. These habitats have distinct acoustic characteristics, which can lead to the evolution of distinct acoustic communication. Whistles are sounds widely used by dolphins to mediate species and in...

We present an ocean-basin-scale dataset that includes tail fluke photographic identification (photo-ID) and encounter data for most living individual humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the North Pacific Ocean. The dataset was built through a broad collaboration combining 39 separate curated photo-ID catalogs, supplemented with community sc...

Whales rely on critical ocean habitats – areas where they feed, mate, give birth, nurse young, socialise or migrate – for their survival. “Blue corridors” are movement routes for marine megafauna such as whales among different but ecologically interconnected areas essential to their survival. From the Bering Strait south to the temperate and tropi...

Palacios, D., Felix, F.,Montecinos, Y., Nájera, E., Kelez, S., Samaniego, J., Velásquez, P., Zapata, L., Lancaster, M., Johnson, C., Friedlaender, A., Castro, C., Quintana, E., Bermúdez-Rivas, C., Villamil, C., Casas, J.J., Sepúlveda, M., Benites, L., Flórez-González, L., Rojas-Bracho, L., Medrano-Gonzales, L., Santillan, L., Aguilar, R., Reisinger...

Current knowledge of the abundance, movements, and population structure of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) at the scale of the entire North Pacific Ocean is based primarily on data collected during and prior to 2004-06. In recent years, new technology and international collaboration among research groups across the North Pacific have enabl...

We present an ocean-basin-scale dataset that includes tail fluke photographic identification (photo-ID) and encounter data for the majority of living individual humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) in the North Pacific Ocean. The dataset was built through a broad collaboration combining 39 separate curated photo-ID catalogs supplemented with...

We present an ocean-basin-scale dataset that includes tail fluke photographic identification (photo-ID) and encounter data for most living individual humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) in the North Pacific Ocean. The dataset was built through a broad collaboration combining 39 separate curated photo-ID catalogs, supplemented with community...

The SPLASH project (2004–2006) revealed complex population structure and migratory connections, but no regional effort was made along the southern Mexican Pacific coast until dedicated research was initiated in 2010. It is unclear whether humpback whales documented in this region belong to the Mexican or Central American population units. This stud...

Context Previous research has shown the presence of an endangered humpback whale population breeding off the Pacific coast of Central America. However, little is known about the density, size, social-group structure and spatial habitat use of this subpopulation. Aim The study goal was to characterise a potential breeding subpopulation of humpback...

Documenting marine mammal strandings provides important information needed to understand the occurrence and distribution patterns of species. Here, we report on strandings of cetaceans on the Pacific ( n = 11) and Caribbean ( n = 2) coasts of Nicaragua, documented opportunistically from 2014 to 2021. Strandings included three species of baleen whal...

Introduction: The yellow-bellied sea snake (Hydrophis platurus, formerly Pelamis platurus) is known to occur along the Pacific coast of Central America. However, there are no marine records of this species off the coast of Nicaragua. Objective: Report the first in situ marine observations of the yellow-bellied sea snake observed on three occasions...

The rainforest plays a crucial role in regulating the climate balance. The biodiversity of tropical rainforests is undeniable but many aspects remain poorly known which directly influences its management. Despite the efforts of sustainable forest management, human pressure in terms of exploitation and smuggling of timber forms a problem compared to...

We report the northernmost records to date of Southern Hemisphere humpback whales migrating from the Antarctica Peninsula to the Pacific coast of Nicaragua during the austral winter. From 2015 to 2018, data from opportunistic sightings of humpback whales were gathered during boat trips in Nicaragua, crowd-sourced through local citizen science effor...

Volume N°13 de la collection « Monographies des provinces de la République démocratique du Congo ». La Flore du Nord-Ubangi

False Killer whales are listed as nearthreatened on IUCN red list, Lack of knowledgecon distribution and occurrence along the Pacific coast of Central America,

The discovery of Nicaragua as a feeding stopover for migrating humpback whales could indicate it represents a previously undocumented feeding site or that whales are seeking new feeding sites.

South America hosts two stocks of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), stock A occupying southwest waters of the Atlantic, and stock G, located in the Southeast Pacific. After breeding in these locations in the austral winter and spring, both stocks travel in the austral summer to the feeding areas located in the Magellan Strait, Corcovado Gul...

Volume n° 12 de la collection « Monographies des provinces de la République démocratique du Congo ». La Flore du Mai-Ndambe

The cetacean conservation project of Nicaragua is a science-based conservation project that aims to combine scientific research and education activities to make conservation actions effective in collaboration with decision makers.

The North-East Pacific humpback whale population migrates to warm breeding grounds to give birth and reproduce. Although a lot of research effort has been put in place to understand general humpback whale migration behavior, little is known on the distribution of Mother-calf (MC) pairs in breeding grounds. The objective is to understand MC spatio-t...

Coastal anthropogenic activities such as ecotourism are going to increase in the coming years and understanding habitat use patterns and underlying factors of dolphin distribution is therefore very important for their conservation. The pantropical spotted dolphins have an offshore and a coastal form and very little is known on the occurrence of the...

Le Haut-Katanga s'étend aux confins sud-est de la République démocratique du Congo sur 132 425 km². C'est l'une des provinces les plus richement dotées par la nature. Et l'une des plus convoitées pour ses gisements miniers. Lubumbashi, son chef-lieu, est la deuxième ville du pays et occupe à la fois des fonctions administratives, économiques et cul...

Pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata) are a widespread species in the Pacific Ocean. Recent genetic studies have confirmed that two subspecies (coastal and offshore) were identified along the Pacific coast from Mexico to Nicaragua. Studies using mark-recapture methods on pantropical spotted dolphins are scarce. This study offers a compa...

La Jalle de Blanquefort est un cours d’eau important pour beaucoup d’acteurs qui l'utilisent, cela inclut les maraîchers, les pêcheurs, les chasseurs, les marais de la Réserve Naturelle de Bruges et les propriétaires privés. Le terme de Jalle est une dénomination locale pour un cours d'eau en région bordelaise. La Jalle de Blanquefort est toutefois...

This is the first study that has been conducted in the waters of Nicaragua (Central America) along the Pacific Ocean to assess the diversity and occurrence of cetaceans. Boat based surveys were carried out in San Juan del Sur (South-Western Nicaragua) and in Padre Ramos (North-Western Nicaragua) in August 2015 and January -March 2016. Boat based su...

Data are lacking on humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Guerrero state, southwest Mexico (N 17° 34’ W 101° 27’), located between known Northeastern Pacific and Central American wintering/calving areas. Interactions between whales and commercial fishing and tourist vessels are increasing, but poverty and corruption in Guerrero have precluded...

Knowledge regarding odontocete species occurrence and distribution off the southwestern state of Guerrero, Mexico is extremely limited. Our study goal was to describe and quantify winter occurrence and habitat-use patterns of delphinids in 300 km2 of undescribed coastal waters near Barra de Potosi (20 km south of Zihuatanejo), Guerrero. We hypothes...

Humpback whales in the North Pacific winter in low latitude areas off Asia, Hawai‘i, Mexico, and Central America. Most of the research off Mexico has focused on the offshore Revillagigedos and mainland Mexico from Mazatlán to Puerto Vallarta, with little work conducted off central or southern Mexico. We used photo ID to examine migratory destinatio...

In the light of environmental conservation and management it is important to get insights into movement patterns of animals, especially for migrating animals such as the humpback whales. Humpback whales in the South Pacific (G stock) migrate to Costa Rica which is the most Northern part of their breeding ground according to the IWC. Humpback whales...

Volume n° 8 de la collection « Monographies des provinces de la République démocratique du Congo »

Nous présentons ici différents aspects de l’étude des charbons de bois à travers l’exemple de l’Afrique tropicale

This is an introduction about wood charcoal properties, collection and taxonomical identification in the framework of palaeoecological studies in Central Africa through examples of possible applications.

So as to document the past history of tropical forests, several palaeoenvironmental proxies have been used. For instance, charcoals from soil deposits provide a local signal of the evolution of the vegetation together with snapshots of human interactions with the environment. As charcoal analyses are rare in tropical contexts, here we aim at presen...

The rainforest plays a crucial role in regulating the climate balance. The biodiversity of tropical rainforests is undeniable but many aspects remain poorly known which directly influences its management. Despite the efforts of sustainable forest management, human pressure in terms of exploitation and smuggling of timber forms a problem compared to...

Les forêts du bassin du Congo constituent le deuxième massif forestier tropical du monde. En effet, la plus grande superficie forestière dudit bassin, très riche en biodiversité, se trouve en République Démocratique du Congo (RDC). Ce patrimoine forestier dispose des essences forestières de haute valeur économique (commercialement importantes) dont...

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) feed at high latitudes and migrate to low latitudes to breed. During the austral winter, humpback whales from the C-stock population migrate from their feeding ground in Antarctica to breeding grounds in the Indian Ocean (Rosenbaum et al., 1997). The C3 subpopulation was estimated to be 2,532 indi-viduals in...