Supplementary material from "Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales ( megaptera novaeangliae ) in the Madagascar breeding ground"

• Main Authors: Trudelle, Laurène, Cerchio, Salvatore, Zerbini, Alexandre N., Ygor Geyer, François-Xavier Mayer, Jung, Jean-Luc, Hervé, Maxime R., Stephane Pous, Jean-Baptiste Sallée, Rosenbaum, Howard C., Adam, Olivier, Jean-Benoit Charrassin
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Figshare 2016
• Subjects: Environmental Science; Ecology; FOS Biological sciences; 60801 Animal Behaviour; Humpback Whale; Megaptera novaeangliae
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3593711; https://figshare.com/collections/Supplementary_material_from_Influence_of_environmental_parameters_on_movements_and_habitat_utilization_of_humpback_whales_i_megaptera_novaeangliae_i_in_the_Madagascar_breeding_ground_/3593711

Assessing the movement patterns and key habitat features of breeding humpback whales is a prerequisite for the conservation management of this philopatric species. To investigate the interactions between humpback whale movements and environmental conditions off Madagascar, we deployed 25 satellite tags in the northeast and southwest coast of Madagascar. For each recorded position, we collated estimates of environmental variables and computed two behavioural metrics: behavioural state of ‘transiting’ (consistent/directional) versus ‘localized’ (variable/non-directional), and active swimming speed (i.e. speed relative to the current). On coastal habitats (i.e. bathymetry a concentrations. Active swimming speed accounts for a large proportion to observed movement speed; however, breeding humpback whales probably exploit prevailing ocean currents to maximize displacement. This study provides evidence that coastal areas, generally subject to strong human pressure, remain the core habitat of humpback whales off Madagascar. Our results expend the knowledge of humpback whale habitat use in oceanic habitat and response to variability of environmental factors such as oceanic current and chlorophyll level.