Fatty acids and stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) in southern right whale Eubalaena australis calves in relation to age and mortality at Península Valdés, Argentina

A study of southern right whale calves at Península Valdés, Argentina, found no significant differences in blubber fatty acid composition or stable isotope ratios (δ13C, δ15N) between dead and living calves, suggesting that maternal diet and foraging ranges were similar among both groups. However, calf length significantly influenced fatty acid profiles, indicating age-related changes due to nursing duration. These findings imply that poor maternal nutrition or differences in feeding grounds are unlikely causes of the high calf mortality observed from 2003 to 2013. The research highlights the importance of further assessing overall health and body condition in southern right whale calves to better understand survival factors.

Marón, C., Budge, S., Ward, R., Valenzuela, L., Di Martino, M., Ricciardi, M., Sironi, M., Uhart, M., Seger, J., & Rowntree, V. (2020). Fatty acids and stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) in southern right whale Eubalaena australis calves in relation to age and mortality at Península Valdés, Argentina. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 646, 189–200. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13387