LOCAL AND MIGRATORY MOVEMENTS OF HAWAIIAN HUMPBACK WHALES TRACKED BY SATELLITE TELEMETRY

We examined inter-island movements and offshore migrations of six hump back whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) tagged during March and April 199 5 with satellite-monitored radio tags off Kaua'i, Hawai'i. The tags tr ansmitted 0.5-17 days ((x) over bar = 8.5 +/- 2.7 days) and produced 1 -66 locations that met our screening criteria. Total travel distances per individual ranged from 30 to 1860 km. After screening criteria wer e applied,satellite-acquired locations ranged from 1.8 to 3.9/day for individuals (group average 2.7/day). One adult traveled 250 km to O'ah u in 4 days. Another visited Penguin Bank and five islands (820 km) in 10 days, suggesting faster inter-island movement than had been previo usly thought. Three whales traveled independent, parallel courses towa rd the upper Gulf of Alaska on north-northeast headings. A female with a calf was the fastest: 670 km in 4.5 days (150 km/day). Two whales t raveled for 14.7 and 17 days, an average speed of 110 km/day (4.5 km/h ). A 4200-km migration to the upper Gulf of Alaska at that speed would take 39 days. If the fastest whale's speed was maintained on a straig ht course, the entire migration could be accomplished in as little tim e as 28 days. Based on the two longest tracks, the first third of the migration route is within 1 degrees of magnetic north. These data repr esent the first route and travel speeds for humpbacks migrating from H awai'i toward Alaska.