Acoustic tracking of tiger sharks at Olowalu finds they mate during Maui’s whale season
Maui Now • • science
Key Points:
- Researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa have identified the first documented mating hub for tiger sharks at Olowalu, Maui, using six years of acoustic tracking data.
- The study challenges the belief that tiger sharks are solitary, revealing a predictable seasonal convergence of mature males and females coinciding with the humpback whale calving season in Hawaiʻi.
- The timing of shark gatherings suggests dual motivations: mating and foraging on vulnerable humpback whale calves, indicating these behaviors influence tiger shark movement patterns.
- The gatherings are diffuse, spanning several months and kilometers, expanding the understanding of tiger shark reproduction and social behavior.
- Future research will involve camera accelerometer tags to capture direct observations of mating and shark-whale interactions, enhancing insight into
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