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Movements of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) in South-east Asian waters as determined by satellite telemetry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 April 2002

Scott A. Eckert ,
Louella L. Dolar ,
Gerald L. Kooyman ,
William Perrin  and
Ridzwan Abdul Rahman
Scott A. Eckert
Affiliation:
Hubbs Sea World Research Institute, 2595 Ingraham Street, San Diego, CA 92109, U.S.A.
Louella L. Dolar
Affiliation:
Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0204, U.S.A. Silliman University, 6200 Dumaguete City, Philippines
Gerald L. Kooyman
Affiliation:
Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0204, U.S.A.
William Perrin
Affiliation:
Southwest Fisheries Science Center, U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92038, U.S.A.
Ridzwan Abdul Rahman
Affiliation:
Borneo Marine Research Unit, Universiti Malaysia, Sabah, KM 19, Tuaran Road, Locked Bag 2073, 88999 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
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Abstract

Management of whale shark Rhincodon typus populations is hampered by a lack of information on the range travelled by individual whale sharks. This applies particularly in South-east Asia where the whale shark is increasingly used in commercial trade and for ecotourism. In this study an investigation of the movements of individual whale sharks from the greater Sulu Sea region was initiated using satellite telemetry. The movements of six sharks were monitored from 7 to 128 days. Two sharks travelled distances of 4567 and 8025 km. Both sharks moved through multiple political jurisdictions, confirming the need to manage the populations on a multilateral or regional level.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Zoology , Volume 257 , Issue 1 , May 2002 , pp. 111 - 115
Copyright
2002 The Zoological Society of London

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