I am pleased to announce the publication of the following paper detailing local and migratory movements of humpback whales satellite-tracked in the North Atlantic Ocean:
Kennedy, A. S., A. N. Zerbini, et al. (2013). "Local and migratory movements of humpback whales (*Megaptera novaeangliae*) satellite-tracked in the North Atlantic Ocean." Canadian Journal of Zoology: 8-17 *ABSTRACT:* North Atlantic humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781)) migrate from high-latitude summer feeding grounds to low-latitude winter breeding grounds along the Antillean Island chain. In the winters and springs of 2008 through 2012, satellite tags were deployed on humpback whales on Silver Bank (Dominican Republic) and in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) breeding areas. Whales were monitored, on average, for 26 days (range = 4–90 days). Some animals remained near their tagging location for multiple days before beginning their northerly migration, yet some visited habitats along the northwestern coast of the Dominican Republic, northern Haiti, the Turks and Caicos islands, and off Anguilla. Individuals monitored during migration headed towards feeding grounds in the Gulf of Maine (USA), Canada, and the eastern North Atlantic (Iceland or Norway). One individual traveled near Bermuda during the migration. This study provides the first detailed description of routes used by North Atlantic humpback whales towards multiple feeding destinations. Additionally, it corroborates previous research showing that individuals from multiple feeding grounds migrate to the Antilles for the breeding season. This study indicates that North Atlantic humpbacks use an area broader than the existing boundaries of marine mammal sanctuaries, which should provide justification for their expansion. Key words: humpback whale, migration, satellite telemetry, North Atlantic, breeding ground, movements. A pdf of this note can be downloaded from the Canadian Journal of Zoology website: http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/cjz-2013-0161 Cheers, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Amy S. Kennedy, Ph.D. Cetacean Research Biologist National Marine Mammal Laboratory Alaska Fisheries Science Center Seattle, WA 98115 tel (206) 526-4141 fax (206) 526-6615
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