Baseline data collection on Whale Sharks by photo-identification, Whale Shark sex & size and collection of plankton samples to determine Whale Shark prey items.

Design of aerial surveys to determine the distribution and abundance of Whale Sharks in the Ningaloo Marine Park.

Photo-identification data on killer whales occupying the northern Gulf of Mexico have been collected in association with large vessel surveys since 1991. Photographs of killer whales are taken during encounters and unique dorsal fin marking can be used to identify individual animals. These images have been reviewed and individuals cataloged to evaluate residency and demographic patterns in killer whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

The ECOCEAN Whale Shark Photo-identification Library is a visual database of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) encounters and of individually catalogued whale sharks.

The Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation together with the Ningaloo whale shark tourism industry have been closely involved with monitoring whale sharks at Ningaloo Marine Park since 1995. The following monitoring is being carried out: - Whale shark tourism industry logbooks - Spotter plane logbooks and GPS track and waypoint data collection - Aerial behavioural observations Data from tour operator logbooks has proven useful in gaining an understanding of trends in the whale shark industry. Based on logbook data, the total number of whale shark interactions during the paying season (1st April to 31st May) has reduced by around 36% from 1996 to 2007. This figure needs to be taken with caution as analysis of spotter plane data indicates a shifting peak of whale shark observations to outside the paying season into the months of June and July. Full season data in logbooks was only collected from 2004 onwards. Whale shark interaction success rate for tours has declined slightly, averaging approximately 80%. Sex ratio ranged from 2:1 to 4:1 males:females. Analysis of observed length estimates indicates a 1.5m reduction in mean length. Whale sharks observed showed a trend for direction of travel along the north-south gradient with a greater northward bound favour. Anecdotal reports that whale shark numbers are declining are not supported by an analysis of the aerial spotter plane data. Aerial behavioural observation work was initiated in 2007 as an alternative method of collecting behavioural response to interactions other than the industry logbooks.

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Study of Whale Sharks including non-invasive morphometric measurements.

Videos from deployments of animal-borne cameras on whale sharks and provided by tourism operators at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia Datsheet of observations of predation events from CATS video tags

Transient killers whales inhabit the West Coast of the United States. Their range and movement patterns are difficult to ascertain, but are vital to understanding killer whale population dynamics and abundance trends. Satellite tagging of West Coast transient killer whales to determine range and movement patterns will provide data to assist in understanding transient killer whale populations. Locational data.