Isotopic niche partitioning of co-occurring large marine vertebrates around an Indian ocean tropical oceanic island.

Tropical oceans host a high diversity of species, including large marine consumers. In these oligotrophic ecosystems, oceanic islands often favour the aggregation of species and biomass as they provide feeding opportunities related to the mechanisms of island mass effect. As such, the waters surrounding La Reunion (Southwest Indian Ocean) host seabirds, large pelagic teleosts, elasmobranchs, delphinids and sea turtles.

Identifying key demographic parameters of a small island-associated population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Reunion, Indian Ocean).

Photo-identification surveys of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins were conducted from 2009 to 2014 off Reunion Island (55°E33'/21°S07'), in the Indian Ocean. Robust Design models were applied to produce the most reliable estimate of population abundance and survival rate, while accounting for temporary emigration from the survey area (west coast). The sampling scheme consisted of a five-month (June-October) sampling period in each year of the study.

Continuous movement behavior of humpback whales during the breeding season in the southwest Indian Ocean: on the road again!

Background: Humpback whales are known to undertake long-distance migration between feeding and breeding sites, but their movement behavior within their breeding range is still poorly known. Satellite telemetry was used to investigate movement of humpback whales during the breeding season and provide further understanding of the breeding ecology and sub-population connectivity within the southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO). Implantable Argos satellite tags were deployed on 15 whales (7 males and 6 females) during the peak of the breeding season in Reunion Island.