Tracking a Humpback whale across the Atlantic Ocean

The Humpback has stopped to feed off Rockall. Credit NOAA

July 2010. A humpback, fitted with a satellite tag in early May off Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean is moving up the mid-Atlantic ridge, towards her usual winter feeding grounds off Bear Island, off the coast of northern Norway. The results of this important research are providing US based whale researchers with unique insights into the movements of these long distance travellers.

Feeding off Rockall
Phillip Clapham, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports....." Apparently our female humpback has found a restaurant - at least that would be my interpretation of the sudden change in her track. She's in an area just west of Rockall, which is a major fishing ground. Hopefully this won't mean she'll ditch the tag, which is always a risk once they start feeding.... "

The map shows the track of a female humpback whale migrating north towards summer feeding grounds. She was tagged in early May and has been travelling around 50 miles a day.

The tag provides updates on her position every two days and will hopefully last for many more months enabling us to get unique information on humpback movements in the North Atlantic.

Go to the website of the Irish whale and Dolphin group at www.iwdg.ie