First insights on the horizontal movements of short‐finned pilot whales in the Gulf of Mexico

• DOI: 10.1111/maec.12656
• Publication Date: 2021-03-30T14:45:09Z
• Authors: María C. García‐A...; Mario A. Pardo; Arturo Fajardo‐Ya...; Mario Rafael Ramí...; Oscar Sosa‐Nishizaki
• Keywords: Diel vertical migration

Abstract This study is the first assessment on how short‐finned pilot whales ( Globicephala macrorhynchus ) move within Gulf of Mexico. In April 2018, seven adult animals were tagged using location‐only satellite transmitters in south‐western (18°59′N and 95°19′W). When tagged, all a medium‐size aggregation that split after week followed two routes, indicating initial was consisted at least social units. Regardless route, moved low travel rate (mean = 3.4 km/hr; 50% IC: 1.5–4.8) continental shelf‐break, between 500‐ 800‐m isobaths. The oceanography hydrographic features Gulf's shelf‐break would favour prey, influencing dispersion observed during transmission period, as well co‐occurrence several However, given relatively short period covered (up to 87 days) few movement patterns described here could vary longer temporal spatial scales.