Photo-id catalog points to some degree of Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni) site fidelity to Cabo Frio region, southeastern Brazil

Photo-identification technique of Bryde’s whales was carried out off the coast of Cabo Frio region, south-eastern Brazil between December 2010 and November 2012. Twenty-five individuals were sighted on nineteen different days, and of these, nine were individually identified using natural marks on the dorsal fin. Of these, two individuals were seen in four different days, and one was seen in two different days. The mean interval between re-sighting was 133 days (minimum: one day, maximum: 431 days). Two different adult individuals that were previously identified were seen again accompanied by calves and one of these was also seen next to the Rio de Janeiro city coast (126 km apart). Most of the observations consisted of lone individuals (58.8% of sightings). The data reported here indicate that the Cabo Frio coast may be important for the studied species in Brazilian waters and indicated the possible habitat fidelity of Bryde’s whales to this area.