Blue Whales off Isla de Chiloé, Chile: update of 2009 field research season of the Alfaguara Project

In 2008 we reported on the status of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) off Isla de Chiloe, based on five years research of the Alfaguara (blue whale) Project (Centro de Conservación Cetacea). The overall annual return rate and sighting per-unit effort were calculated with data obtained from marine and aerial platforms. Results highlighted the importance of the waters off northwestern Isla de Chiloe and northern Los Lagos as a feeding area for this population and raised concerns about health conditions of the whales as well as an increased potential for vessel collision. (Galletti Vernazzani et al., 2008). Here we present additional sightings from the 2009 field season of the Alfaguara Project recorded from marine and land-based platforms. Results from aerial surveys are detailed in paper SC/61/SH21 (Galletti Vernazzani et al., 2009)