Gulf of Maine humpback whale satellite tagging project: 2015
A project of Center for Coastal Studies in conjunction with the partners and sponsors detailed below.
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| Name | Species | Life Stage | Release Date | Last Location | Days Transmitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anvil | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-05 | 2015-09-15 | 41 |
| Canopy | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-14 | 2015-09-03 | 20 |
| Conflux | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-07-25 | 2015-08-04 | 10 |
| Entropy | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-14 | 2015-09-22 | 39 |
| Geometry | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-14 | 2015-09-17 | 34 |
| Glo | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-02 | 2015-08-22 | 20 |
| Grackle | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-02 | 2015-10-28 | 87 |
| Iota | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-05 | 2015-10-22 | 78 |
| Lilium | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-12 | 2015-09-16 | 35 |
| Meerkat | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-13 | 2015-09-14 | 32 |
| Milkweed | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-07-31 | 2015-09-04 | 35 |
| Peninsula | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-05 | 2015-08-22 | 17 |
| Pinch | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-07-21 | 2015-08-28 | 38 |
| Reflection | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-02 | 2015-09-02 | 31 |
| Scylla | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-07-23 | 2015-08-14 | 22 |
| Shards | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-08-13 | 2015-09-29 | 47 |
| Tear | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-07-31 | 2015-11-20 | 112 |
| Tongs | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-07-21 | 2015-10-01 | 72 |
| Tunguska | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-07-23 | 2015-10-14 | 83 |
| Venom | Humpback Whale | n/a | 2015-07-24 | 2015-10-27 | 95 |
Click on an animal's name for maps and more information.
Introduction
Satellite-monitored radio tags have yielded important information for the conservation and management of large whales. Tags provide far greater detail on large whale movements and habitat use than more traditional studies, and past tagging projects have revealed the existence of entirely unknown whale habitats. However, it is not uncommon for tags to stop transmitting within days to months of deployment, and follow-up studies on the individuals have been limited. Further work is needed to improve the scientific and conservation value of this technology.
In this study, satellite tagging and its effects are being examined among Gulf of Maine humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). This is among the best studied humpback whale populations. Its strong fidelity to particular feeding sites, long feeding ground residency and strong overlap with observer effort that are expected to result in repeated sightings of tagged animals, and a maximized resighting potential in future years. The project will also produce new information on humpback whale movement and habitat use in relation to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
Project Partners
The project is being undertaken by multi-institutional team with expertise in whale behavior, ecology, anatomy, physiology, telemetry and wound healing processes. It includes collaborators from the following institutions:
Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) http://www.antarctica.gov.au/science
Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) . http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/
The Marine Mammal Center (MMC) .http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/
National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML)http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/
Research is being performed under NOAA scientific permit #14245.
