Behavior of tiger sharks along the Hawaiian
Archipelago: Reef resident or ocean rambler?
Christopher Lowe, Ph.D.
California State University Long Beach
Wednesday, December 5, 2001
3:00 p.m.–Pacific Forum

Shark attacks on humans and shark predation on
endangered species in Hawaii have generated interest in understanding the
movement patterns of large sharks. We have been using a variety of
acoustic and satellite telemetry techniques to address questions regarding
short- and long-term movement patterns and behavior of tiger and Galapagos
sharks along the Hawaiian Archipelago. Tiger sharks from different
locations along the island chain show varied short-term movement patterns.
Tiger sharks tracked off Oahu showed consistent and directed offshore
movements, while those tracked at French Frigate Shoals appeared more
site-attached. Longer-term site fidelity has also been shown to vary
widely between the southern and northern end of the Archipelago.
Differences in movement patterns could be influenced by food availability,
seasonality, or tagging method.
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