TY - JOUR
T1 - A preliminary study of the movement patterns of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) in coastal and pelagic waters of the Northern Territory, Australia
AU - Palmer, Carol
AU - Baird, Robin W.
AU - Webster, Daniel L.
AU - Edwards, Andrew C.
AU - Patterson, Ruth
AU - Withers, Alan
AU - Withers, Emma
AU - Woinarski, John C.Z.
AU - Groom, Rachel
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - The false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) is regarded as Data Deficient globally and in Australia. In most parts of its range, there is little information on its social behaviour, dispersal or ecology. The present study is the first assessment of its movement patterns in Australian waters, on the basis of satellite tracking of four individuals, in the Arafura and Timor Seas from late March to early July 2014. When initially tagged, the four individuals occurred in a single group; they then showed generally similar movement patterns and regularly re-associated. Total distance travelled by tagged individuals ranged from 5161km (over a 54-day period) to 7577km (104 days). Distance from land varied from 100m to 188km (median distance 24km). Individual minimum convex polygons covered an area of 72368 to 86252km2, with a total overlap of 64038km2. Water depths varied from 0.3 to 118m (median 36m). In total, 15% of records were in waters shallower than 10m, and 26% of records were within 10km of land. The present study indicated that false killer whales appear to regularly use coastal and pelagic waters in this region and, hence, should be afforded more conservation attention.
AB - The false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) is regarded as Data Deficient globally and in Australia. In most parts of its range, there is little information on its social behaviour, dispersal or ecology. The present study is the first assessment of its movement patterns in Australian waters, on the basis of satellite tracking of four individuals, in the Arafura and Timor Seas from late March to early July 2014. When initially tagged, the four individuals occurred in a single group; they then showed generally similar movement patterns and regularly re-associated. Total distance travelled by tagged individuals ranged from 5161km (over a 54-day period) to 7577km (104 days). Distance from land varied from 100m to 188km (median distance 24km). Individual minimum convex polygons covered an area of 72368 to 86252km2, with a total overlap of 64038km2. Water depths varied from 0.3 to 118m (median 36m). In total, 15% of records were in waters shallower than 10m, and 26% of records were within 10km of land. The present study indicated that false killer whales appear to regularly use coastal and pelagic waters in this region and, hence, should be afforded more conservation attention.
KW - Arafura and Timor Sea
KW - dispersal
KW - satellite tracking
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85020132388&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/MF16296
DO - 10.1071/MF16296
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85020132388
SN - 1323-1650
VL - 68
SP - 1726
EP - 1733
JO - Marine and Freshwater Research
JF - Marine and Freshwater Research
IS - 9
ER -