First Insights Into the Horizontal Movements of Whale Sharks (Rhincodon typus) in the Northern Arabian Sea

Whale sharks off the western coast of India have suffered high levels fishing pressure in past, and today continue to be caught small-scale fisheries as by-catch. Additionally, coastlines this region host very large growing human populations that are undergoing rapid development. This exacerbates ongoing anthropogenic threats species such pollution, habitat loss, ship traffic. For these reasons, there is an urgent need for data on movement patterns whale Indian Ocean. Here, we address issue by providing first horizontal movements tagged northern Arabian Sea state Gujarat. From 2011 2017, eight individuals, ranging from 5.4 8 m were monitored using satellite telemetry. Tag retention varied 1 137 days, with traveling distances 34 – ∼2,230 km. Six individuals remained close their tagging locations, although two displayed wide into Sea, following frontal zones between water masses different sea surface temperatures. We explore relationship physical biological processes region.