A groundbreaking global initiative, known as MegaMove, has brought together nearly 400 scientists from over 50 countries in an unprecedented effort to map the space use of more than 110 species of marine megafauna. This collective endeavor, harnessing decades of sophisticated animal tracking data, represents the most extensive attempt to date to identify critical habitats and migratory corridors that these iconic ocean giants depend upon. Covering over 70% of the world’s ocean surface, MegaMove offers a comprehensive overview of how these species navigate the vast marine environment, providing invaluable insights poised to transform marine conservation strategies worldwide.
The MegaMove project was conceived as a solution to one of the most pressing environmental challenges: safeguarding marine megafauna that serve as key predators within aquatic ecosystems but face escalating threats from human activities. Sharks, whales, turtles, and seals, among others, maintain essential roles in marine food webs, influencing ecological balance and biodiversity. Yet, increasing industrialization, fishing pressures, climate change, and maritime traffic have imperiled their populations. Through the integration of extensive biologging and satellite tracking technology, the project presents a granular analysis of species’ space use patterns, highlighting regions vital for foraging, resting, and migration.
Led by Associate Professor Ana Sequeira of the Australian National University, MegaMove represents a unique fusion of expertise and data resources. The initiative combines high-resolution tracking records accumulated over decades, including significant contributions from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). UCSC’s longstanding involvement in marine mammal research, bolstered by advanced biologging devices developed in collaboration with leading oceanographic institutions, has been pivotal in amassing fine-scale movement data across multiple taxa and oceanic regions—from the frigid Southern Ocean to temperate and tropical habitats.
The scale and ambition of MegaMove are unmatched. According to Ari Friedlaender, a UCSC professor and seasoned whale movement specialist, no prior research has matched the breadth or integration of data across species and global geographic realms as this multi-institutional collaboration. The project synthesizes movement datasets from more than a hundred species, drawing conclusions that transcend individual species’ behavior and reveal large-scale ecological connectivity. Such comprehensiveness enables identification of cross-species conservation hotspots, areas where protection efforts could simultaneously benefit diverse megafaunal assemblages.
The temporal dimension of the data—spanning decades—permits examination of seasonal and interannual variability in habitat use, offering a dynamic picture of marine megafauna ecology. This temporal depth is crucial for detecting shifts driven by environmental change and anthropogenic pressures, allowing for adaptive conservation planning that is responsive to evolving ocean conditions and species responses. The MegaMove database thus constitutes a powerful tool for managers and policymakers aiming to meet international biodiversity targets.
One of the most striking revelations from MegaMove relates to the current global coverage of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which encompass only about 8% of oceanic regions. While the forthcoming UN High Seas Treaty, signed by 115 nations but yet to undergo ratification, aims to increase this protection threshold to 30%, the MegaMove findings suggest that even this enhanced coverage may fall short of encompassing all critical habitats essential for threatened marine megafauna. Sequeira emphasizes that merely designating protected areas is insufficient; effective conservation requires integrated mitigation strategies tailored to minimize direct threats such as bycatch, ship strikes, and habitat degradation.
Mitigation options emerging from the MegaMove research include modifications to fishing gear design to reduce interactions with marine mammals, deployment of novel lighting technologies to alter animal behavior and decrease entanglements, and dynamic maritime traffic regulations to prevent ship collisions in identified hotspot areas. These targeted strategies, informed by detailed movement patterns and habitat preferences, herald a paradigm shift in conservation—from static protection zones to adaptive, behaviorally informed ocean management schemes.
UCSC’s contributions have been instrumental, particularly through their expertise in biologging and longitudinal studies of species such as northern elephant seals at Año Nuevo Reserve. This research site has served as a natural laboratory for understanding pinniped foraging ecology and distribution. Concurrently, Heather Welch’s recent studies highlight the geographic mismatch between whale-ship collision hotspots and existing protections, underscoring urgent gaps in marine spatial planning. Dan Costa and Friedlaender’s decades of tracking work across multiple ocean basins supplement this data pool, enriching it with insights from diverse ecosystems.
The synthesis offered by MegaMove aligns tightly with several global sustainability frameworks, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14, which focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of ocean resources. Additionally, its goals are synchronized with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, particularly Goal A, which aims to curtail human-induced extinctions of threatened species. The project thus provides robust empirical support for international policy ambitions, translating scientific data into actionable conservation targets.
Friedlaender’s reflections on the collaborative spirit driving MegaMove underscore the power of integrative science. He notes how the aggregation of diverse datasets, methodologies, and expert perspectives has produced outputs unattainable by isolated studies. This collective approach exemplifies how large-scale environmental challenges necessitate transcending traditional disciplinary and institutional boundaries to forge impactful conservation solutions.
Looking forward, MegaMove’s database offers a dynamic platform to monitor the efficacy of implemented protections and mitigation measures. As oceanographic conditions evolve under climate change and human maritime activity intensifies, continuous data collection and analysis will be key to adaptive management. The project sets a precedent for leveraging big data and cutting-edge technology to safeguard marine megafauna and their habitats in an era of unprecedented ecological transformation.
In summary, the MegaMove initiative represents a watershed moment in marine conservation science. By assembling an unparalleled global dataset on marine megafauna movement, it identifies conservation priorities with precision and scope previously unattainable. Its findings challenge current notions of marine protection sufficiency and lay out a scientific basis for targeted, multifaceted interventions. Through international collaboration, technological innovation, and integrative analysis, MegaMove charts a forward-looking path to preserving biodiversity and ecosystem function in our planet’s oceans.
Subject of Research: Animals
Article Title: Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets
News Publication Date: 5-Jun-2025
Web References:
– https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0239
– https://megamove.org/
– https://anonuevoreserve.ucsc.edu/
– https://prod.drupal.www.infra.cbd.int/sites/default/files/2022-12/221222-CBD-PressRelease-COP15-Final.pdf
– https://highseasalliance.org/treaty-negotiations/
References: 10.1126/science.adl0239
Image Credits: MegaMove
Keywords: marine megafauna, conservation, tracking, biologging, marine protected areas, biodiversity, migration corridors, endangered species, ocean conservation, UN Sustainable Development Goals, marine mammals, data analysis
