Historical Trends of Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) Distribution in the Phoenix Archipelago

• Published in: Frontiers in Marine Science
• Main Authors: Brian R. C. Kennedy, Lara Hakam, Jan Witting, Regen Milani, Sue Taei, Tim Smith, Erin Taylor, Tooreka Teemari, Randi D. Rotjan
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
• Subjects: marine protected areas; Physeter macrocephalus; historical whaling data; Phoenix Islands Protected Area; Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument; Science; Q; General. Including nature conservation; geographical distribution; QH1-199.5; Pacific; Phoenix Islands; Sperm whale
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.583326; https://doaj.org/article/cc851e6010a64c50a9d96a8b9391250d

The Phoenix Archipelago in the Central Pacific is situated in what was once one of the most productive areas for capturing sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). These whales were the focal targets of American offshore whalers in the mid-19th century along the equator, an area known as the “on-the-l...