Satellite tags reveal first tracked movements of minke whales off the US East Coast

Common minke whales are globally distributed, but can exhibit cryptic behavior and sometimes occur in small groups, making them challenging to study. Now, a new case report published in Animal Biotelemetry offers the first satellite-telemetry record of minke whale movements along the eastern coast of the United States, and the first dive record for the species anywhere in the broader northwest Atlantic.

Earlier observations had suggested the region might also function as foraging grounds, despite the many natural and anthropogenic stressors present there. To investigate, the team deployed three satellite tags: two on whales in the New York Bight in September 2023 and one on a whale off Virginia in February 2024.

The tracking data revealed two distinct movement types: area restricted search (ARS) and transit. The researchers interpret these as likely reflecting foraging behavior and migratory behavior, respectively.

In the New York Bight, the tagged whales showed evidence of area restricted search in mid-shelf waters, including within offshore wind lease areas.

The tracking also captured what the researchers describe as evidence of southward migration in autumn. One whale shifted from area restricted search to sustained transitory movements in late October, a change in behavior consistent with the onset of migratory travel. Because the species’ movement patterns in this region had not previously been documented with satellite telemetry, even a small number of tagged individuals provides an initial quantitative picture of seasonal behavior.

Diving behavior showed striking differences between the tagged animals. By contrast, the individual tagged off Virginia showed no such diel pattern in its diving behavior. The authors note these data provide initial quantification of minke whale behavior and habitat use in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

The tags themselves mark a technical milestone. The three deployments yielded the first record of minke whale movements in this area and the first dive record for the species in the broader northwest Atlantic.

The researchers emphasize that the data provide insight for further research, management and conservation. The study is an early-access, peer-reviewed article carrying a permanent DOI, published on 15 October 2026.

As a case report based on just three tagged whales, the study is necessarily a first step rather than a comprehensive assessment of minke whale ecology in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. The authors frame the data as initial quantification of minke whale behavior and habitat use in the Mid-Atlantic Bight, providing insight for further research, management and conservation. For a species that is globally distributed yet not well understood in its movement and behavioral patterns, even the first few tracks reveal behavior patterns, from autumn migration to daytime and nighttime diving differences, that had previously gone undocumented in these waters.

Subject of Research: Satellite telemetry of common minke whale movements and diving behavior in the Mid-Atlantic Bight

Article Title: First descriptions of common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) movements off the Eastern Coast of the United States using satellite telemetry

Article References: Trabue, S. G., Cioffi, W., Aschettino, J., Engelhaupt, D., Engelhaupt, A., Southall, B. L., Webster, D. L., Swaim, Z. T., Nowacek, D. P., & Rosenbaum, H. C. (2026). First descriptions of common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) movements off the Eastern Coast of the United States using satellite telemetry. Animal Biotelemetry. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-026-00486-w

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s40317-026-00486-w

Keywords: common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, satellite telemetry, Mid-Atlantic Bight, New York Bight, area restricted search, migration, diving behavior, offshore wind, shipping lanes, whale conservation, Virginia