Australia’s east coast humpback whales: Satellite tag-derived movements on breeding grounds, feeding grounds and along the northern and southern migration

• Published in: Biodiversity Data Journal
• Main Authors: Andrews-Goff, Virginia, Gales, Nick, Childerhouse, Simon J, Laverick, Sarah M, Polanowski, Andrea M, Double, Michael C
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Pensoft Publishers 2023
• Subjects: Data Paper (Biosciences); Antarctic; New Zealand; Southern Ocean; Antarc*; Antarctica; Humpback Whale
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10729012/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38116475; https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.11.e114729

BACKGROUND: Satellite tags were deployed on 50 east Australian humpback whales (breeding stock E1) between 2008 and 2010 on their southward migration, northward migration and feeding grounds in order to identify and describe migratory pathways, feeding grounds and possible calving areas. At the time, these movements were not well understood and calving grounds were not clearly identified. To the best of our knowledge, this dataset details all long-term, implantable tag deployments that have occurred to date on breeding stock E1. As such, these data provide researchers, regulators and industry with clear and valuable insights into the spatial and temporal nature of humpback whale movements along the eastern coastline of Australia and into the Southern Ocean. As this population of humpback whales navigates an increasingly complex habitat undergoing various development pressures and anthropogenic disturbances, in addition to climate-mediated changes in their marine environment, this dataset may also provide a valuable baseline. NEW INFORMATION: At the time these tracks were generated, these were the first satellite tag deployments intended to deliver long-term, detailed movement information on east Australian (breeding stock E1) humpback whales. The tracking data revealed previously unknown migratory pathways into the Southern Ocean, with 11 individuals tracked to their Antarctic feeding grounds. Once assumed to head directly south on their southern migration, five individuals initially travelled west towards New Zealand. Six tracks detailed the coastal movement of humpback whales migrating south. One tag transmitted a partial southern migration, then ceased transmissions only to begin transmitting eight months later as the animal was migrating north. Northern migration to breeding grounds was detailed for 13 individuals, with four tracks including turning points and partial southern migrations. Another 14 humpback whales were tagged in Antarctica, providing detailed Antarctic feeding ground movements. Broadly ...