Satellite Tracking Page
Updated August 15, 2006
Northbound migratory tracks of a male (blue line) and female (black line)humpback whale satellite tagged off NW Cape Western Australia in July 2006 in relation to the expanding oil and gas industry and local bathymetry.(CWR/AAD unpubl. data)
Two satellite tags deployed on northbound whales near NW Cape showed the variability in the migratory path through this region after transmitting for 2 weeks during July, 2006. In an ongoing development programme funded by the Department of Environment and Heritage, and this season Santos Ltd., we were able to tag 2 northbound humpback whales that migrated past the Santos study area. Dr. Nick Gales from the Australian Antarctic Division once again combined forces with CWR and attached the 2 new satellite transmitters as part of a trial prior to a larger scale deployment planned for later this season. Southbound humpbacks migrating towards the southern ocean sanctuary and Antarctic feeding grounds will be targeted in an effort to understand how Australian born whales use their Antarctic feeding grounds –a vital link in protecting this species from commercial whaling.
