Case Studies & The MiCO System
The following case studies are part of a growing collection. Their purpose is to demonstrate that:
- All migratory species encounter a range of stressors that have cumulative impacts on their populations. No migratory species has one single stressor affecting its population.
- Ecological connections between EEZs and ABNJ are the norm, not rare events.
- Events in one location can impact distant locations, as a result of connectivity created by migratory species. For example, tourism in one country’s economy may be negatively affected by the lack of conservation in distant EEZs or ABNJ.
Case Studies
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Migrations of Blue whales in the Eastern South Pacific connect multiple South American jurisdictions with the High Seas
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a cosmopolitan migratory species which takes part in complex migration patterns that are much less understood than other baleen whale species’ movements. Baleen whales are traditionally understood to migrate long distances between their summer feeding and winter breeding grounds; many exceptions to this pattern have however been recorded […]
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Eastern Pacific leatherback turtle movements and area-use in the South Pacific
Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are highly mobile species that migrate across entire ocean basins, which makes them highly susceptible to several anthropogenic stressors. Pacific leatherbacks form two distinct breeding population groups with different migration patterns. In the eastern Pacific, nesting populations are found along the coasts of Central America, while western Pacific populations nest primarily […]
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Migratory behavior and management implications of green sea turtles in the Western Indian Ocean
Green sea turtle populations in the Western Indian Ocean nest on coasts and small islands, migrating long distances to foraging grounds along the coasts and in the open ocean.
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Transboundary connectivity: Laysan albatross
With the majority of their lives spent on the high seas, the migratory patterns of the near-threatened Laysan albatross connect oceanic habitats, from subtropical to sub-Arctic EEZs as well as more temperate areas in between.
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Management implications of migratory behavior: Cory’s shearwater
Connecting the national jurisdictions of 30+ countries across four continents and the high seas, Cory’s shearwaters encounter numerous threats from human activities during their migratory movements, presenting a complex management challenge.
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MiCO System
MiCO is currently in development. We’re in the process of testing various visualization techniques to best communicate area use and connectivity for migratory species. Click to access the system.