Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) in the Madagascar breeding ground ...

• Main Authors: Charrassin, Jean-Benoit, Pous, Stephane, Rosenbaum, Howard C., Jung, Jean-Luc, Zerbini, Alexandre N., Sallée, Jean-Baptiste, Trudelle, Laurène, Hervé, Maxime R., Cerchio, Salvatore, Geyer, Ygor, Mayer, François-Xavier, Adam, Olivier
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: The Royal Society Publishing 2016
• Subjects: 580 Plants Botany; Humpback Whale; Megaptera novaeangliae
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.7892/boris.93232; http://boris.unibe.ch/93232/

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 ...