Dr. Helena Herr

Recovery status and Ecology of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) at the West Antarctic Peninsula

Funding: German Research Foundation (DFG), within the priority program SPP1158 'Antarctic Research with Comparative Investigations in Arctic Ice Areas'

PI: Helena Herr

Cooperation: Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research

Fin whales of the Southern Hemisphere were severely depleted by industrial whaling during the 20th century. It has been estimated that the population was reduced to 2% of ist pre-exploitation size. Today, it is unknown to which degreee the population has recovered, how many fin whales there are again, and where their breeding grounds are located. For several years, large aggregations of fin whales have been observed at historical feeding grounds at the Antarctic Peninsula.

In this research project, we will estimate fin whale abundance at historcial feeding grounds along the Antarctic Peninsula, we will deploy satellite tags to track their migration after the feeding season and we will map krill distribution to analyse predator prey relationships.

Peer-reviewed

Rychwalski AN, Herr H (2024) Lateralised lunge feeding behaviour in Southern Hemisphere fin whales at Antarctic feeding grounds. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 25:23-29. https://doi.org/10.47536/jcrm.v25i1.947

Daume HV, Herr H, Mallison H, Glaubrecht M, Kaiser TM (2023) Osteopathological analysis provides evidence for a survived historical ship strike in a Southern Hemisphere fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) PLoS ONE 18(2): e0281316. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0281316

Bamford C, Kelly N, Herr H, Seyboth E, Jackson JA (2023) The recovery of Antarctica’s giants – baleen whales. Antarctic Environments Portal. https://doi.org/10.48361/edgj-pp83

Herr H, Viquerat S, Naujocks T, Gregory B, Lees A, Devas F (2023) Skin condition of fin whales at Antarctic feeding grounds reveals little evidence for anthropogenic impact and high prevalence of cookiecutter shark bite lesions. Marine Mammal Science, 39(1):299-310.  https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12966

Viquerat, S, Waluda CM, Kennedy A, Kelly N, Jackson J, Hevia M, Carroll E, Buss D, Thain S, Smith P, Secchi E, Santora J, Reiss C, Lindstrøm U, Krafft B, Gittens G, Dalla Rosa L, Biuw M, Herr, H (2022) Identifying seasonal distribution patterns of Southern Hemisphere fin whales from multiple data sources using a novel approach combining habitat suitability models and ensemble learning methods. Frontiers in Marine Science 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.1040512

Herr H, Hickmott L, Viquerat V, Panigada S (2022) First evidence for fin whale migration into the Pacific from Antarctic feeding grounds at Elephant Island. Royal Society Open Science 9(9):22072. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.220721

Herr H, Viquerat V, Lees A, Wells L, Devas F, Gregory B, Meyer B (2022) Return of Large fin whale feeding aggregations to historical whaling grounds in the Southern Ocean. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-13798-7

Steiner NS, Bowman J, Campbell K, Chieric M, Eronen-Rasimus E, Falardeau M, Flores H, Fransson A, Herr H, Insley SJ, Kauko HM, Lannuzel D, Loseto L, Lynnes A, Majewski A, Meiners KM, Miller LA, Michel LN, Moreau S, Nacke M, Nomura D, Tedesco L, van Franeker JA, van Leeuwe MA, Wongpan P (2021) Climate change impacts on sea-ice ecosystems and associated ecosystem services. Elementa. Science of the Anthropocene 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2021.00007

Kinze CC, Czeck R, Herr H, Siebert U (2021) Cetacean strandings along the German North Sea Coastline 1604-2017. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 101(3):483-502. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315421000503

Unger B, Herr H, Viquerat S, Gilles A, Burkhardt-Holm P, Siebert U (2020) Opportunistically collected data from aerial surveys reveal spatio-temporal distribution patterns of marine debris in German waters. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28: 2893–2903. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10610-9

Herr, H (2020) Rückkehr der Finnwale in die Antarktis - 30 Jahre nach Beendigung des kommerziellen Walfangs. Biologie in unserer Zeit 50(5): 338-345. https://doi.org/10.1002/biuz.202010716

Herr H, Burkhardt-Holm P, Heyer K, Siebert U, Selling J. (2020) Epidermal conditions, injuries and malformations in cetaceans of the Strait of Gibraltar. Aquatic Mammals 46(2):2015-235. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.46.2.2020.215

Herr H, Kelly N, Dorschel B, Huntemann M, Kock K-H, Lehnert LS, Siebert U Viquerat S, Williams R, Scheidat M (2019) Aerial surveys for Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) reveal sea ice dependent distribution patterns. Ecology and Evolution. 9: 5664–5682. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5149

Purser A, Herr H, Dreutter S, Dorschel B, Glud R, Hehemann L, Hoge U, Jamieson A, Linley T, Stewart H, Wenzhoefer F(2019) Depression chains in seafloor of contrasting morphology, Atacama Trench margin: a comment on Marsh et al. (2018). Royal Society Open Science 6(3): 182053. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.182053

IJsseldijk LL, van Neer A, Deaville R, Begeman L, van de Bildt M, van den Brand JMA, Brownlow A, Richard Czeck, Dabin W, ten Doeschate M, Vanessa Herder V, Herr H, Jooske IJzer J, Jauniaux T, Jensen LF, Jepson PD, Karen W, Lakemeyer J, Lehnert K, Leopold MF, Osterhaus A, Perkins MW, Piatkowski U, Prenger-Berninghoff E, Pund R, Wohlsein P, Gröne A, Siebert, U (2018) Beached bachelors: An extensive study on the largest recorded sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus mortality event in the North Sea. PLoS ONE 13(8): e0201221. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201221 

Viquerat S, Herr H (2017) Mid-summer abundance estimates of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) around the South Orkney Islands and Elephant Island. Endangered Species Research 32:515-524. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00832

Unger B, Herr H, Benke H, Böhmert M, Burkhardt-Holm P, Dähne M, Hillmann M, Wolff-Schmidt K, Wohlsein P, Siebert U (2017) Marine debris in harbour porpoises and seals from German waters. Marine Environmental Research 130:77-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.07.009

Unger B, Bravo Rebolledo EL, Deaville R, Gröne A, IJsseldijk LL, Leopold MF, Siebert U, Spitz J, Wohlsein P, Herr H. (2016) Large amounts of marine debris found in sperm whales stranded along the North Sea coast in early 2016. Marine Pollution Bulletin 122:134-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.08.027

Herr H, Viquerat S, Siegel V, Kock K-H, Dorschel B, Huneke WGC, Bracher A, Schröder M, Gutt J. (2016) Horizontal niche partitioning of humpback and fin whales around the West Antarctic Peninsula – evidence from a concurrent whale and krill survey. Polar Biology 39:799-818. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-016-1927-9

Dorschel B, Gutt J, Huhn O, Bracher A, Huntemann M, Huneke W, Gebhardt C, Schröder M, Herr, H. (2016) Environmental information for a marine ecosystem research approach for the northern Antarctic Peninsula (RV Polarstern Expedition PS81, ANT XXIX/3). Polar Biology 39:765-787. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1861-2

Williams R, Kelly N, Boebel O, Friedlaender AS, Herr H, Kock K-H, Lehnert LS, Maksym T, Roberts J, Scheidat M, Siebert U, Brierley AS (2014) Counting whales in a challenging, changing environment. Scientific Reports 4:4170. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep04170

Viquerat S, Herr H, Gilles A, Peschko V, Siebert U, Sveegaard S, Teilmann J (2014) Abundance of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the western Baltic, Belt Seas and Kattegat. Marine Biology 161:745-754. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-013-2374-6

Proelss A, Krivickaite M, Gilles A, Herr H, Siebert U (2011) Protection of Cetaceans in European Waters – A Case Study on Bottom-Set Gillnet Fisheries within Marine Protected Areas. The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law 26: 5-45. https://doi.org/10.1163/157180811X543466

Herr H, Fock HO, Siebert U (2009a) Spatio-temporal associations between harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and specific fisheries in the German Bight. Biological Conservation 142: 2962–2972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2009.07.025

Herr H, Scheidat M, Lehnert K, Siebert U (2009b) Seals at sea – modelling seal distribution in the German Bight based on aerial survey data. Marine Biology 156:811–820. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-008-1105-x

Book chapters

Kock K-H, Herr H (2017) Der tote Leviathan - ein Streifzug durch die Geschichte des antarktischen Walfangs. Chapter 40 in: Hempel, G. Bischof, K., Hagen, W., (eds) Faszination Meeresforschung. Springer, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49714-2_40

Brander KM, Ottersen G, Bakker JP, Beaugrand G, Herr H, Garthe S, Gilles A, Kenny A, Siebert U, Skjoldal HR, Tulp I (2016) Environmental Impacts - Marine Ecosystems. In: Quante M, Colijn F (eds) North Sea Region Climate Change Assessment (NOSCCA), Springer. Available online: http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-39745-0

Kock K-H, Herr H (2015). Der Walfang in der Neuzeit. Von den Küsten Neu-Englands bis zur Internationalen Walfangkommission – Ein Streifzug durch 400 Jahre. In: Roder, H. (ed) Faszination Wale. Von Menschen und Walen. Übersee Museum Bremen, Bremen.

Hasselmeier I, Gilles A, Herr H, Dähne M, Benke H, Siebert U (2011) Bestandserhebung und Totfundmonitoring von Schweinswalen in der Ostsee. Meer und Museum 23:113-120.

Gilles A, Herr H, Lehnert K, Scheidat M, Siebert U (2008) Harbour porpoises - abundance estimates and distribution. Chapter 2 in: Wollny-Goerke, K., Eskildsen, K. (eds). Marine mammals and seabirds in front of offshore wind energy. Teubner Verlag, Wiesbaden: 19-36.

Monographs

Herr, H. (2009). Vorkommen von Schweinswalen (Phocoena phocoena) in Nord- und Ostsee – im Konflikt mit Schifffahrt und Fischerei? Dissertation, Universität Hamburg. pp 118. http://d-nb.info/995004455/34

Herr, H. (2004). Sichtungshäufigkeit und Verbreitungsmuster von Meeressäugern in deutschen Gewässern – Relation zu Schifffahrts- und Fischereiaktivität. Examensarbeit, Universität Hamburg, pp 76

Other Academic Articles

IWC Paper

Huß K, Rychwalski A, Viquerat S, Herr H (2024) Deep learning approach for automated photo identification using vertical aerial drone imagery of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus). Paper SC/69B/PH08, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK. 

Herr H (2018) Southern Hemisphere Fin Whales: Update on available data sets. Paper SC/67b/SH09, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK. 

Herr H, Bell E, Burkhardt E, Butterworth D, Dalla Rosa L, Donovan G, Double M, Findlay K, Friedlaender A, Hevia M, Iñiguez M, Jackson J, Kelly N, Miller B, Olson P, Panigada S, Pérez-Alvarez MJ, Reyes Reyes V, Rodriguez-Fonseca J, Samaran F, Sepúlveda M, Širovic A, Williams R, Zerbini A (2017) Southern Hemisphere Fin Whales: development of a study proposal for the West Antarctic Peninsula. Paper SC/67a/SH07, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK. 

Herr H, Bell E, Burkhardt E, Butterworth D, Dalla Rosa L, Donovan G, Double M, Findlay K, Friedlaender A, Hevia M, Iñiguez M, Jackson J, Kelly N, Miller B, Olson P, Panigada S, Pérez-Alvarez MJ, Reyes Reyes V, Rodriguez-Fonseca J, Samaran F, Sepúlveda M, Širovic A, Williams R, Zerbini A (2017) Southern Hemisphere Fin Whales: Review of available data. Paper SC/67a/SH09, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK. 

Herr H, Bell E, Jackson J, Kelly N, Miller B, Mustafa O, Olson P, Panasiuk-Chodnicka A, Viquerat S, Siebert U, Zerbini A (2016) Project Plan for multi-scale study of fin whale aggregations in the WAP. Paper SC/66b/SH/30, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK. 

Viquerat S, Herr H, Kock K-H, Siebert U, Arana P (2016) Report on an Antarctic cetacean survey on board a Chilean fishing vessel in February 2016. Paper SC/66b/SH/22, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK.

Viquerat S, Herr H (2016) Mid-summer abundance estimates of fin whales around the South Orkney Islands and Elephant Island. Paper SC/66b/SH/29, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK.

Selling J, Herr H, Heyer K, Siebert U, Burkhardt-Holm P (2016) Epidermal conditions lesions and malformations in cetaceans of the Strait of Gibraltar. Paper SC/66b/E/13, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK.

Unger B, Bravo Rebolledo EL, Deaville R, Gröne A, IJsseldijk LL, Leopold MFL, Siebert U, Spitz J, Wohlsein P, Herr H (2016) Large amounts of marine debris found in sperm whales stranded along the North Sea coast in early 2016. Paper SC/66b/E09_rev, International Whaling Commission Cambridge, Uk.

Viquerat S, Herr H, Siebert U (2015) Report on the German cetacean distance sampling survey on board PS89 (ANT XXX-2) December 2014 – January 2015 between Capetown and Neumayer Station III. Paper SC/66a/SH/12, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK.

Unger B, Herr H, Böhmert M, Hillmann M, Schmidt K, Siebert U (2015) Marine debris findings in dead stranded harbour porpoises from German waters. Paper SC66a/E/06, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK.

Geelhoed SCV, Feij B, van Franeker J-A, Herr H, Janinhoff N, McKay, S Müller S, Thomisch K, Verdaat H, Viquerat S (2015) Blue whale sightings in Antarctica west of the Greenwich Meridian January 2015 Paper SC/66a/SH/11 Rev 3 International Whaling Commission Cambridge UK

Herr H, Kelly N, Viquerat S, Kock K-H, Williams R, Scheidat M, Lehnert LS, Siebert U (2014) Overview of five German helicopter surveys provide insight into spatio-temporal variability of minke whale densities in ice. Paper SC/65b/IA16, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK.

Unger B, Herr H, Gilles A, Siebert U (2014) Project plan on analysing marine debris and its impacts on marine mammals in German waters. Paper SC/65b/E10, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK.

Viquerat S, Herr H, Scheidat M, Siebert U (2014) First report of responsive movement towards observer vessel in Antarctic minke whales and humpback whales. Paper SC/65b/IA14 International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK.

Feindt-Herr H, Kock K-H, Siebert U (2013) Preliminary results of an aerial survey for cetaceans in the western Weddell Sea Bransfield Strait and Drake Passage, January – March 2013. Paper SC65a/SH20, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK.

Viquerat S, Feindt-Herr H, Gilles A, Peschko V, Siebert U, Sveegaard S, Teilmann J (2013) Survey for the abundance of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the Western Baltic Belt Sea and Kattegat ('Gap-Area'). Paper SC/65a/SM21, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK.

Scheidat M. & Feindt-Herr H (2012) Collecting data on marine debris during cetacean aerial surveys. Paper SC/64/E15, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK.

Kelly N, Murase H, Kitikado T, Kock K-H, Williams R, Feindt-Herr H, Wallø L (2012) Appraisal of methods and data to estimate abundance of Antarctic minke whales within sea ice covered areas of the Southern Ocean Paper SC/64/IA10 International Whaling Commission Cambridge UK

Kock K-H, Herr H, Scheidat M, Bräger S, Lehnert K, Lehnert L, Verdaat H, Williams R, Siebert U, Boebel O (2010) Sighting surveys from a ship and a helicopter in the Weddell Sea in 2006/07 and 2008/09 Paper SC/62/O15 International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK. https://iwc.int/sc-documents

CCAMLR Paper

Teschke K, Bornemann H, Bombosch A, Brey T, Brtnik P, Burkhardt E, Dorschel B, Feindt-Herr H, Gerdes D, Gutt J, Hain S, Herata H, Jerosch K, Knust R, Kock K-H, Pehlke H, Schlüter M, Schwarzbach W, Siegel V, Strass V, van Opzeeland I, von Nordheim H (2013) Progress report on the scientific data compilation and analyses in support of the development of a CCAMLR MPA in the Weddell Sea (Antarctica). Paper SC-CAMLR-XXXII (BG/07). Available from: https://epic.awi.de/34191/

ASCOBANS Paper

Herr H, Siebert U, Benke H (2009c). Stranding numbers and bycatch implications of harbour porpoises along the German Baltic Sea coast. ASCOBANS Workingpaper AC16/Doc.62. http://www.ascobans.org/pdf/ac16/AC16_62_PorpoiseStrandingsBycatchGermanBaltic.pdf

Herr H, Fock HO, Kock K-H, Siebert U (2009d) Spatio-temporal interactions between harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and fisheries in the German Bight 2002-2006: Preliminary results. ASCOBANS Workingpaper AC16/Doc.61. http://www.ascobans.org/pdf/ac16/AC16_61_SpatialIinteractions.pdf

Herr H, Gilles A, Scheidat M, Siebert U (2005). Distribution of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the German North Sea in relation to density of sea traffic. ASCOBANS Working paper AC12/Doc.8 http://www.ascobans.org/pdf/ac12/8_NS_HP_Distr.pdf

Project reports (only final reports)

Herr H, Groenewoud Z, Gunning H, Hickmott L, Kennedy A, Kirchner T, Panasiuk A, Panigada S, Viquerat S, Vortkamp M (2023) Comprehensive assessment of a fin whale high density area along the western Antarctic Peninsula, Cruise No. MSM115, 25.02.2023 - 30.03.2023, Punta Arenas (Chile) - Montevideo (Uruguay). In MARIA S. MERIAN-Berichte (MSM115, pp. 1-32). Begutachtungspanel Forschungsschiffe. https://doi.org/10.48433/cr_msm115

Hammond PS, Lacey C, Gilles A, Viquerat S, Börjesson P, Herr H, Macleod K, Ridoux V, Santos MB, Scheidat M, Teilmann J, Vingada J, Øien, N (2021). Estimates of cetacean abundance in European Atlantic waters in summer 2016 from the SCANS-III aerial and shipboard surveys. SCANS-III project report 1, 39pp. https://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/scans3/files/2021/06/SCANS-III_design-based_estimates_final_report_revised_June_2021.pdf.

Herr H (2017) Auswertung von Flugzählungsdaten zu antarktischen Walen in Kooperation mit Australien. Schlussbericht an das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, FKZ 01DR14026, 8 pp.

Herr H, Viquerat S, Siebert U (2016) Modellierungen zu Populationsgrößen und räumlicher Verteilung von Zwergwalen im antarktischen Packeis auf der Grundlage von see- und luftgestützten Tiersichtungen. Schlussbericht an die Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung, FKZ 2811HS015, 87 pp.

Viquerat S, Gilles A, Herr H, Siebert U (2015) Monitoring von marinen Säugetieren 2014 in der deutschen Nord - und Ostsee. Teil A: Visuelle Erfassungen von Schweinswalen. Bericht an das Bundesamt für Naturschutz, 83 pp.

Herr H, Viquerat S, Lehnert LS, Siebert U (2014) Erhebung und Auswertung von Daten zum Vorkommen, zu Verteilung und Abundanzen von Meeressäugern in der Antarktis nach international anerkannten Standards. Abschlussbericht für das Umwelt Bundesamt, FKZ 370891101-2, 86 pp.

Herr H & Siebert U (2010) Berechnung der Häufigkeit und der Verbreitung von Walen im antarktischen Packeis. Endbericht für die Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung, FKZ 2809HS020, 10 pp.

Gilles A, Herr H, Lehnert K, Scheidat M, Kaschner K, Sundermeyer J, Westerberg U, Siebert U (2008) Erfassung der Dichte und Verteilungsmuster von Schweinswalen (Phocoena phocoena) in der deutschen Nord- und Ostsee. MINOS 2 - Weiterführende Arbeiten an Seevögeln und Meeressäugern zur Bewertung von Offshore - Windkraftanlagen (MINOS plus). Endbericht für das Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit FKZ 0329946 B. Teilprojekt 2, 67 pp.

Scheidat M, Gilles A, Herr H, Risch D, Siebert U (2007) Monitoring der Abundanz von Schweinswalen und anderen Kleinwalen in deutschen Gewässern. Endbericht für das Bundesministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz, FKZ 03HS059, 36 pp.

Kock K-H, Scheidat M, Boebel O, Bräger S, Herr H, Lehnert K, Lehnert LS, Verdaat H, Williams R (2009) The occurrence of cetaceans along two transects from 57° S to Atka Bay (70°296’ S/07°576’ W). Paper SC/61/IA/11, International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, UK. https://iwc.int/sc-documents

Guest researcher at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Section Polar Biological Oceanography

Member of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (www.iwc.int) and co-convenor of the Southern Hemisphere Baleen Whales (IA) sub-committee

German representative of the Southern Ocean Research Partnership (IWC-SORP),
leader of the theme 'Southern Hemisphere fin whales'

2017 – 2021 CeNak, University of Hamburg

2011 – 2017 Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover

2010 – 2011 Research and Technology Centre, University of Kiel

2005 – 2009 PhD Researcher, University of Kiel