Hunting and migratory movements of white sharks in the eastern North Pacific
Year: 2004
Type: article
Abstract: : The aim of these studies was to determine local movements of hunting white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) near a seal rookery and global movements during migra-tion. 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 Año 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 Año 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 equal-ly 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 halfway 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. key words: white sharks, predation, hunting, migration, tracking
Author: Burney J. Le Bœuf
Institution: University of California, Santa Cruz
Language: English
Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life below water
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2137198507