Researchers using satellite tags for an exclusive look at Hawaiian false killer whale movement and habitat use have found their movements are occasionally off the charts — or at least all over them.
Cascadia Research Collective (CRC), a NOAA Fisheries species recovery grant partner, studies false killer whale population size, social structure and individual movement patterns to understand threats and develop strategies to minimize them, NOAA Fisheries reported.
“The bonds and cultural knowledge within these clusters are fundamental to false killer whale survival," said Krista Graham, NOAA Fisheries recovery coordinator for the endangered main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale. "Understanding ‘social connectedness’ is a key component of our recovery efforts."
A recovery plan for the main Hawaiian Island insular false killer whale was released in 2021. It outlines the path and tasks needed to restore and secure self-sustaining wild populations. Success would mean that they no longer need protection under the Endangered Species Act.
CRC deployed a satellite tag on a false killer whale named HIPc808. The whale made a journey that went outside the expected area, NOAA Fisheries said.
From years of collecting data, the team has found that these animals move at higher rates than any other species they have tagged. HIPc808 provided a good example of this, as it swam between islands really fast.
False killer whales are known to occur in distinct social “clusters.” By gaining a better understanding of the distribution of each cluster, researchers can work on preserving what is already a small population.
