Hunting and migratory movements of white sharks in the eastern North Pacific

• Main Author: Burney J. Le Boeuf
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Marine Sciences and Department of Biology, University of California 2004
• Subjects: Pacific; Memoirs of National Institute of Polar Research; Polar Research
• Online Access: https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=2483; http://id.nii.ac.jp/1291/00002483/; https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=2483&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1

The aim of these studies was to determine local movements of hunting white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) near a seal rookery and global movements during migration. Seven adults were monitored locally with attached ultrasonic tags that received and telemetered animal position and behavior via an array of three-acoustic-positioning (RAP) buoys moored off Ano Nuevo Island, California. Migratory movements of 6 adults departing this island and nearby Southeast Farallon Island were tracked for 2-6 months with attached pop-up satellite archival tags. Sharks began hunting seals at Ano Nuevo Island in October, spending 40% of the day patrolling the 1 km2 receptive field within 400 m of the island at a depth of 30 m or less. For six weeks, they did not stray far or long from the area, were equally active at night as by day, were non-territorial, and fed infrequently. This nearshore phase at both island rookeries ended abruptly in winter as the sharks moved offshore to a region of the subtropical eastern Pacific half way to Hawaii. An adult male went further, traveling to Hawaii where it remained until migrating back to California, only to repeat the journey the following year. Electronic tagging provides vital information on the hunting and migratory behavior of this apex predator.