Breeding Grounds - West Indies

In the Atlantic, the largest winter aggregation of humpbacks is found north of the Dominican Republic, on the margin of the Antillean island arc. This region is dominated by a bank system which rises from oceanic depths to shallows of less than 100 meters (300 feet).

The center of winter distribution in the North Atlantic is Silver Bank, a limestone platform approximately 75 km (45 miles) in diameter. An extensive complex of reefs and coral heads provide some protection from the ocean swell. Along with areas like Navidad Bank, Samana Bay and the northwest coast of Puerto Rico, Silver Bank is an area where whales from throughout the North Atlantic congregate between January and March. Although neither calving, nor copulation have ever been observed, secondary evidence suggests that activities related to breeding dominate the behavior of humpback whales on their wintering grounds.

PCCS began studying humpback whales on their North Atlantic wintering ground in the late 1970s. Study areas have included Silver and Navidad Banks, Samana Bay, Puerto Rico, Virgin Bank and the northern Leeward Islands. Our work has focussed primarily on the composition of the wintering population, distribution/habitat use and breeding ground behaviors.  Our largest West Indies field effort was part of the international Years of the North Atlantic Humpback Whale project (YoNAH).