Diving duration and surfacing behaviour have been examined for many of the great whales including fin whales Balaenoptera physalus minke whales Balaenoptera acutorostrata grey whales Eschrichtius robustus bowhead whales Balaena mysticetus humpback whales and blue whales Balaenoptera musculus off Monterey Bay, California using observations of surfacing data or satellite derived data.
Given the precarious state of many whale populations obtaining precise measurements of observable behaviours is an essential step in improving our understanding of their ecology.
Studies of surfacing and diving habits also provide useful information for management of these populations. This information is critical for calculating detection probabilities, through precise estimates of the proportion of time whales are visible at the surface and thereby adjusting shipboard and aerial counts to provide accurate abundance estimates .