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Science 7 October 2005:
Vol. 310. no. 5745, pp. 100 - 103
DOI: 10.1126/science.1114898
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Reports

Transoceanic Migration, Spatial Dynamics, and Population Linkages of White Sharks

Ramón Bonfil,1* Michael Meÿer,2 Michael C. Scholl,3 Ryan Johnson,4 Shannon O'Brien,1 Herman Oosthuizen,2 Stephan Swanson,2 Deon Kotze,2 Michael Paterson2{dagger}

The large-scale spatial dynamics and population structure of marine top predators are poorly known. We present electronic tag and photographic identification data showing a complex suite of behavioral patterns in white sharks. These include coastal return migrations and the fastest known transoceanic return migration among swimming fauna, which provide direct evidence of a link between widely separated populations in South Africa and Australia. Transoceanic return migration involved a return to the original capture location, dives to depths of 980 meters, and the tolerance of water temperatures as low as 3.4°C. These findings contradict previous ideas that female white sharks do not make transoceanic migrations, and they suggest natal homing behavior.

1 Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, 10460, USA.
2 Marine and Coastal Management Branch, Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Private Bag X2, Roggebaai 8012, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
3 White Shark Trust, Post Office Box 1258, Strand Street 6, Gansbaai 7220, Western Cape, South Africa; and Department of Zoology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, Western Cape, South Africa.
4 Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.

{dagger} Present address: Sea Technology Services, Ground Floor, Foretrust House, Martin Hammerschlag Way, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rbonfil{at}wcs.org

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