Knowra Whale migration Whale migration Whale migration is the seasonal movement of whales between distinct feeding, breeding, or calving areas. Its routes and timing vary among species and populations.
Humpback whale : A baleen whale known for long migrations, complex songs, and acrobatic displays. Many populations travel between high-latitude feeding grounds and tropical breeding areas.
Satellite telemetry : The use of satellite-linked devices to collect and transmit location or sensor data from tagged organisms. Satellite tags reveal routes and stopovers that are otherwise difficult to observe.
North Atlantic right whale : A critically endangered baleen whale found in the North Atlantic Ocean. Its seasonal movements between feeding and calving areas shape protections on the eastern coast of North America.
International Whaling Commission : An intergovernmental body established to regulate whaling and conserve whale populations. Migratory populations cross jurisdictions, making international cooperation central to their protection.
Cultural transmission in cetaceans : The spread of learned behaviors among whales, dolphins, and porpoises through social interaction. Social learning may help explain how migration routes and seasonal habits persist across generations.
Gray whale : A baleen whale that undertakes one of the longest annual migrations of any mammal. Its coastal route between Arctic feeding areas and subtropical lagoons is a well-studied migration.
Photo-identification : The identification of individual animals from distinctive, naturally occurring visual features. Photographs of flukes, fins, or markings help document seasonal returns and long-term movements.
Eastern North Pacific gray whale migration : The annual migration of gray whales between Arctic feeding grounds and breeding lagoons off Mexico. This route is a prominent example of long-distance coastal migration.
Commercial whaling : The organized hunting of whales for products such as oil, meat, and baleen. Whaling depleted populations that migrate through historically hunted waters.
Whale population estimation : Methods for estimating the size and trends of whale populations from incomplete observations. Migration complicates counts because animals move across regions and may be missed or counted twice.
Show all 27