Surge in minke whales could be down to fewer basking sharks, Hebrides study says
by Patrick Barkham from on (#6R005)
When sighting rates for basking sharks are high they are low for minke whales, says monitoring programme
The highest ever recorded numbers of minke whales and the lowest number of basking sharks were observed in the Hebrides in 2023, according to a report.
The latest findings of the 20-year monitoring programme by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust suggest a possible association between these two highly mobile and long-lived species. When sighting rates for basking sharks are high, they are low for minke whales, and vice versa.
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