Surveys of belugas and narwhals in the Canadian High Arctic in 1996

Authors

  • Stuart Innes Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, R3T 2N6
  • MP Heide-Jørgensen Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, c/o National Marine Mammal Laboratory, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
  • Jeff L Laake National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
  • Kristin L Laidre Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
  • Holly J Cleator Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, R3T 2N6
  • Pierre Richard Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, R3T 2N6
  • Robert EA Stewart Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, R3T 2N6

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2843

Keywords:

belugas, Delphinapterus leucas, narwhals, Monodon monoceros, surveys, population size

Abstract

The summer range of belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in Prince Regent Inlet, Barrow Strait and Peel Sound in the Canadian High Arctic was surveyed from 31 July to 3 August 1996 with a visual aerial survey of offshore areas and photographic aerial surveys of concentration areas. The visual survey estimate based on the number of belugas visible to the observers using systematic line transect methods was 10,347 (cv = 0.28). This included corrections for whales that were missed by the observers, observations without distance measurements and an estimate of 1,949 (cv=0.22) belugas from a photographic survey in southern Peel Sound. Using data from belugas tagged with satellite-linked time-depth recorders, the estimate was adjusted for individuals that were diving during the survey which resulted in an estimate of 18,930 belugas (cv = 0.28). Finally, counts of belugas in estuaries, corrected for estuarine surface time, were added to provide a complete estimate of 21,213 belugas (95% CI 10,985 to 32,619). The estimated number of narwhals corrected for sightings that were missed by observers was 16,364 (cv = 0.24). Adjusting this for sightings without distance information and correcting for whales that were submerged produced an estimate of 45,358 narwhals (95% CI 23,397 to 87,932).

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Published

2002-07-22

How to Cite

Innes, S., Heide-Jørgensen, M., Laake, J. L., Laidre, K. L., Cleator, H. J., Richard, P., & Stewart, R. E. (2002). Surveys of belugas and narwhals in the Canadian High Arctic in 1996. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 4, 169–190. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2843

Issue

Vol. 4: Belugas in the North Atlantic and the Russian Arctic

Section

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