Dear MARMAM colleagues, It is with great pleasure that my co-authors and I would like to share our most recent publication in PLOS ONE: Bortolotto GA, Danilewicz D, Andriolo A, Secchi ER, Zerbini AN (2016) *Whale, whale, e**verywhere: Increasing abundance of western South Atlantic humpback whales (Megaptera **novaeangliae) in their wintering grounds*. PLoS ONE 11(10): e0164596. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0164596 Abstract: The western South Atlantic (WSA) humpback whale population inhabits the coast of Brazil during the breeding and calving season in winter and spring. This population was depleted to near extinction by whaling in the mid-twentieth century. Despite recent signs of recovery, increasing coastal and offshore development pose potential threats to these animals. Therefore, continuous monitoring is needed to assess population status and support conservation strategies. The aim of this work was to present ship-based line-transect estimates of abundance for humpback whales in their WSA breeding ground and to investigate potential changes in population size. Two cruises surveyed the coast of Brazil during August-September in 2008 and 2012. The area surveyed in 2008 corresponded to the currently recognized population breeding area; effort in 2012 was limited due to unfavorable weather conditions. WSA humpback whale population size in 2008 was estimated at 16,410 (CV = 0.228, 95% CI = 10,563–25,495) animals. In order to compare abundance between 2008 and 2012, estimates for the area between Salvador and Cabo Frio, which were consistently covered in the two years, were computed at 15,332 (CV = 0.243, 95% CI = 9,595–24,500) and 19,429 (CV = 0.101, 95% CI = 15,958–23,654) whales, respectively. The difference in the two estimates represents an increase of 26.7% in whale numbers in a 4-year period. The estimated abundance for 2008 is considered the most robust for the WSA humpback whale population because the ship survey conducted in that year minimized bias from various sources. Results presented here indicate that in 2008, the WSA humpback whale population was at least around 60% of its estimated pre-modern whaling abundance and that it may recover to its pre-exploitation size sooner than previously estimated. Full text and PDF files can be downloaded here https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309122119_Whale_ whale_everywhere_Increasing_abundance_of_western_South_ Atlantic_humpback_whales_Megaptera_novaeangliae_in_their_wintering_grounds or here http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164596 Alternatively, please send PDF requests to bortolotto.vet@gmail.com. All the best, Gui Bortolotto ....................... From* *The Rime of the Ancient Mariner*,1834 poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge: "Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink." *Also from *Rime of the Ancient Mariner,* 1984 song By Iron Maiden -- *Guilherme A. Bortolotto | *PhD Student SMRU • CREEM • School of Biology University of St Andrews *http://biology.st-andrews.ac.uk/contact/staffProfile.aspx?sunid=gabdo <http://biology.st-andrews.ac.uk/contact/staffProfile.aspx?sunid=gabdo>* Mobile UK: (44) 0 7884 398394 R3 Animal Association (http://en.r3animal.org/)