Migration and Habitat Use
Migration into Hawaiian waters.
Our aerial surveys showed that the influx into and exodus from
the different Hawaiian Islands was not uniform
(Herman et al., 1980; Baker & Herman 1981). The Big
Island, on average, showed
the earliest peak in abundance of whales and declined most rapidly.
Population numbers on Maui tended to peak somewhat later than on
the Big Island, followed in turn by later peaks in Penguin Bank
and Oahu. Altogether, peak abundance followed a successively later
date from the southeast to the northwest, with only Kauai
seemingly being independent of this trend.
Migration between winter and summer grounds.
Photographic identification of whales in different regions of the
North Pacific revealed extensive fidelity of individual whales to
particular feeding grounds, with little exchange between feeding
grounds. Whales wintering in Hawaii
traveled to summer feeding grounds throughout the coastal waters
of Alaska, with most
found in southeast Alaskan waters (Baker, Herman, Perry, Lawton
et al., 1986).
Migration between different winter grounds.
Three humpback whales were photographically identified in different
years in the Hawaiian and Japanese winter grounds (in waters off
Ogasawara). Two of these whales were seen first in Hawaii,
them Japan, and then Hawaii
again in three different years (Salden, Herman, Yamaguchi &
Sato, 1999). These whales were likely males, based on their roles
as escorts. These findings illustrate that there may be some genetic
exchange among whales from different areas of the North Pacific,
and that males may prospect widely in their search for mating opportunities.
Sex differences in site fidelity and migration.
Based on photographic recaptures of individual humpback whales
in Hawaiian waters, we determined that males showed greater fidelity
to the winter grounds than did females, as evidenced by a greater
resight probability for males. (Craig & Herman, 1997). The
findings suggested that not all females may undertake the annual
migration to the winter, or may become pregnant enroute to the winter
grounds and return immediately to the high-latitude feeding areas.
Winter habitat preferences of female humpbacks.
Females that were photographically identified at both Maui
and the Big Island
in different years were with a calf significantly more often in
Maui waters than in Big
Island waters. Thus,
habitat utilization by female whales appears to depend in part on
their reproductive status (Craig & Herman 2000).
Baker,
C. S., Herman, L. M., Perry, A., Lawton, W. S., Straley, J. M.,
Wolman, A. A., Kaufman, G. D., Winn, H. E., Hall, J. D., Reinke,
J. M., & Ostman, J. (1986). Migratory movement and population
structure of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in
the Central and Eastern North Pacific. Marine Ecology Progress
Series 31, 105-119.
Baker,
C. S. and Herman, L. M. (1981). Migration and local movement of
humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) through Hawaiian
waters. Canadian Journal of Zoology 59, 460-469.
Craig,
A. S., & Herman, L. M. (2000). Habitat preferences of female
humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae in the Hawaiian Islandsare
associated with reproductive status. Marine Ecology Progress
Series 193, 209-216.
Craig,
A. S., & Herman, L. M. (1997). Sex differences in site fidelity
and migration of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
to the Hawaiian Islands. Canadian Journal of Zoology 75,
1923-1933.
Herman,
L. M., Forestell, P. H. & Antinoja, R. C. (1980). Study of
the 1976/77 migration of humpback whales into Hawaiian waters:
Composite description. Final report to the U.S.Marine
Mammal Commission (Report No. MMC-77/19). United StatesNational
Technical Information Services, Arlington, VA.
Salden,
D. R., Herman, L. M., Yamaguchi, M., & Sato, F. (1999). Multiple
visits of individual humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
between the Hawaiian and Japanese winter grounds. Canadian Journal
of Zoology 77, 504-508.
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