One more avenue for whale-watching contributions to science: the study of cetacean-cephalopod interactions

Cephalopods are the primary source of food for several species of odontocetes. The unstable nature of this trophic resource is likely to affect the ecology of their cetacean predators, and this can be reflected on their conservation status but also on the tourist activities which target the observation of these animals. However, the study of the cetacean-cephalopod interaction is limited by the heavy logistics and expense of dedicated scientific campaigns. Fortunately, this gap can be filled by coupling modern molecular tools with indirect sampling methods. In this note we test if whale watching activities, which represent an intense observation effort worldwide, could be a source of material for studies of cetacean-cephalopod interactions. All contacted companies welcomed the invitation and received the sampling kit. Nine samples were collected, most of them in close association with sperm whales. All samples were determined as the seven-arm octopus Haliphron atlanticus (Octopoda, Alloposidae). We conclude that, although the Azores may have particularly favorable conditions for participatory science, similar programs can be replicated elsewhere