Blue whales Balaenoptera musculus in offshore waters of Kenya

Abstract

Observations of blue whales were made in Kenyan offshore waters during a seismic survey from September 2014 to January 2015. These represent the first live at-sea sightings of blue whales reported from Kenyan waters. All 30 sightings occurred between September and October in waters ranging from 2 990 to 4 705 m depth. It is unknown to which of the three possible subspecies the animals sighted belong. Based on timing and geographical location, they are likely to have been either Antarctic blue whales Balaenoptera musculus intermedia, Madagascar pygmy blue whales B. m. brevicauda or northern Indian Ocean blue whales B. m. indica.

Keywords: cetacean, distribution, western Indian Ocean