Killer whale (Orcinus orca) photo-identification in the eastern Canadian Arctic

Polar research

JeffW.Higdon⁴  BrentG.Young⁵  StevenH.Ferguson⁵ 

[1] Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba500 University CrescentWinnipegManitoba R3T 2N2, Canada;Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba 500 University Crescent, WinnipegManitoba R3T 2N2, Canada;Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba 500 University Crescent, WinnipegManitoba R3T 2N2, Canada;Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba 500 University Crescent, WinnipegManitoba R3T 2N2, Canada Correspondence;Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent WinnipegManitoba R3T 2N6, Canada

关键词: Abundance;    Baffin Island;    Canada;    distribution;    High Arctic;    Hudson Bay;    photographs;   

DOI  :  10.3402/polar.v30i0.7203

学科分类：自然科学（综合）

来源: Co-Action Publishing

【 摘 要 】

We identified individual killer whales (Orcinus orca) using recent (2004–09) photographs to obtain a minimum count of whales that use eastern Canadian Arctic waters. Fifty-three individuals were identified from nine different sightings; 11 individuals from western Hudson Bay sightings and 42 from the areas around northern and eastern Baffin Island. One whale was re-sighted: an adult female or large juvenile photographed 17 days and 375 km apart at Churchill, Manitoba, and off-shore of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, in August 2007. With only one individual re-sighted, the number of individuals that use this area is likely much larger. No re-sightings occurred between Arctic killer whales and individuals photographed off the coast of Newfoundland. Our results represent the minimum number of killer whales sighted in eastern Canadian Arctic waters and provide the foundation for further killer whale research. Little is known about Arctic killer whales and, as a top predator, it is unclear what effect they have on Arct...

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC