Satellite Tracking	Birds	Land Animals	Marine Animals	Fish	Internet Resources

Tag, Notch and Baby were young male pilot whales nursed back to health after they beached themselves on Cape Cod in December 1986 and were found in shock and very ill.

They were named at Boston's New England Aquarium. After treatment, radio transmitters capable of reaching a satellite in a low orbit were attached to their dorsal fins and the whales were returned to the ocean in June 1987, the first time scientists had released more than one at a time.

Baby lost his radio as he entered the water and the battery in Notch's transmitter failed after a month, but scientists were able to track Tag into October 1987 when his radio batteries ran down.

Relay Satellite

It was the longest tracking ever of a whale or dolphin, up to that time. Signals from Tag's transmitter were received by a satellite orbiting overhead which relayed them to scientists at a research station on land.

Tag carried the transmitter on 200,000 dives in 95 days, staying underwater for an average of 34 seconds and as long as 7.75 minutes.

He swam north to Maine and south to Delaware. The last signals received indicated Tag was 20 miles off Cape Cod, the closest he had been to shore since being released. Aquarium scientists decided the whales, heading south, were not in danger of beaching.

Pod. Tag, Notch and Baby had to join a pod of pilot whales for survival and Tag was seen with a pod in August 1987. Researchers decided Notch and Baby had remained with Tag.

Adding to Human Knowledge

More than three months of satellite tracking that summer showed the giant mammals could be returned safely to the wild sea, but did not reveal why whales beach themselves. The tracking did add to our knowledge of whale diving and migration.

Four out of the previous five winters, whales had stranded themselves on Cape Cod beaches. More than seventy had run aground on the Cape and died in 1986. Some were pushed out to sea by concerned humans.

The strandings occurred among whales headed south to warmer waters. Scientists speculated the enclosed bay and unusual weather, or maybe the whale's herd instinct, caused mass beachings.

Researchers now know they can rehabilitate and return a whale to the ocean. They planned to send out the next whale with a longer-life battery.

RESOURCES: Space Satellite Handbook and Space Almanac.

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