Straight as an arrow: humpback whales swim constant course tracks during long-distance migration

Abstract

Humpback whale seasonal migrations, spanning greater than 6500 km of open ocean, demonstrate remarkable navigational precision despite following spatially and temporally distinct migration routes. Satellite-monitored radio tag-derived humpback whale migration tracks in both the South Atlantic and South Pacific include constant course segments of greater than 200 km, each spanning several days of continuous movement. The whales studied here maintain these directed movements, often with better than 18 8 8 8 8 precision, despite the effects of variable seasurface currents. Such remarkable directional precision is difficult to explain by established models of directional orientation, suggesting that alternative compass mechanisms should be explored.

Identification of humpback whale breeding and calving habitat in the Great Barrier Reef

“…5) and highly directed movement of whales through the Capricorn and Bunker groups similar to the directed travel exhibited by migrating whales. Migrating whales are capable of remarkable directional precision and their strong, directional migra tion is a major characteristic (Mate et al 1998, Zerbini et al 2006, Horton et al 2011. The satellite tag data also show a further movement north past the Capricorn and Bunker groups to the area identified off Mackay, suggesting that the Capricorn and Bunker groups are an important migration route and that the Capricorn group is the terminus of the migration off the east coast of Australia.…”

“…Migrating whales are capable of remarkable directional precision and their strong, directional migra tion is a major characteristic (Mate et al 1998, Zerbini et al 2006, Horton et al 2011. The satellite tag data also show a further movement north past the Capricorn and Bunker groups to the area identified off Mackay, suggesting that the Capricorn and Bunker groups are an important migration route and that the Capricorn group is the terminus of the migration off the east coast of Australia.Similarly, it is the combined habitat model and satellite tag data, and specifically the absence of consistent directions of travel, reversals of movement patterns and speeds of travel consistent with other wintering areas (Mate et al 1998, Zerbini et al 2006, Lagerquist et al 2008, Horton et al 2011, that suggest that the other core area offshore of Proserpine and Mackay represents an important wintering area. Within this area of high probability of humpback whale occurrence identified in the habitat model, the satellite tracks of the 12 tagged whales show more erratic directions of travel and speeds of travel typically between 1 and 2 km h lite tagged (11 of the 12 whales) also did not travel north beyond Proserpine (Fig.…”

“…Similarly, it is the combined habitat model and satellite tag data, and specifically the absence of consistent directions of travel, reversals of movement patterns and speeds of travel consistent with other wintering areas (Mate et al 1998, Zerbini et al 2006, Lagerquist et al 2008, Horton et al 2011, that suggest that the other core area offshore of Proserpine and Mackay represents an important wintering area. Within this area of high probability of humpback whale occurrence identified in the habitat model, the satellite tracks of the 12 tagged whales show more erratic directions of travel and speeds of travel typically between 1 and 2 km h lite tagged (11 of the 12 whales) also did not travel north beyond Proserpine (Fig.…”

A biologist’s guide to assessing ocean currents: a review

“…Lagrangian drifter buoys (see Appendix 1) provide 'direct' in situ information on surface currents (Campagna et al 2006, Horton et al 2011, although there are caveats related to buoy performance. Two additional techniques are well established: (1) satellite observations are used to infer surface current fields at regular intervals (Gaspar et al 2006, Cotté et al 2007, Seminoff et al 2008, Bailleul et al 2010, Campbell et al 2010; and (2) particles are tracked in numerical ocean circulation models to mimic Lagrangian drifter buoys (Bonhommeau et al 2009, Sleeman et al 2010, Kobayashi & Cheng 2011.…”

Assessing the design and power of capture-recapture studies to estimate demographic parameters for the Endangered Oceania humpback whale population

“…Whales from Oceania then migrate to high-latitude, productive Antarctic feeding grounds in the austral summer (Dawbin 1966). Individuals have been recorded to move between Oceania and feeding grounds including International Whaling Commission (IWC) management areas known as Areas I, V and VI (Southern Ocean waters spanning 130°E to 50°W) based on discovery marks (Dawbin 1966), photo-identification (Robbins et al 2011), genotype identification (Steel et al 2008, Constantine et al 2014 and satellite tag studies (Hauser et al 2010, Horton et al 2011.…”