Observations of bowhead whales in west Greenland during summer

  • David Boertmann Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5620-7356
  • Katrine Raundrup Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
  • Josephine Nymand Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
  • Janne Fritt-Rasmussen Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
  • Kasper L. Johansen Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Keywords: Balaena mysticetus, eastern Canada–west Greenland stock, summer aggregation, migration, Uummannaq Fjord

Abstract

Bowhead whales (Baleana mysticetus) are usually away from west Greenland waters during summer. Reported here is an observation of at least six bowhead whales in July 2022 in the Uummannaq Fjord system of west Greenland.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References


Chambault P., Albertsen C.M., Patterson T.A., Hansen R.G., Tervo O, Laidre K.L. & Heide-Jørgensen M.P. 2018. Sea surface temperatures predicts the movements of an Arctic cetacean: the bowhead whale. Scientific Reports 8, article no. 9658, doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-27966-1.


Eschricht D.F. & Reinhardt J. 1866. On the Greenland right-whale (Balaena mysticetus, Linn.), with especial reference to its geographical distribution and migrations in times past and present, and to its external and internal characteristics. In H.F. Flower (ed.): Recent memoirs on the cetacea. Pp. 1–150. London: Ray Society.


Heide-Jørgensen M.P., Hansen R.G. & Shpak O.V. 2021. Distribution, migrations, and ecology of the Atlantic and the Okhotsk Sea populations. In J.C. George & J.G.M. Therwissen (eds.): The bowhead whale Balaena mysticetus: biology and human interactions. Pp. 57–75. London: Academic Press.


Heide-Jørgensen M.P. & Laidre K.L. 2021. Box 7. Movements and space use-patterns of bowhead whales in Baffin Bay, 2009 and 2010. In D. Boertmann & A. Mosbech (eds.): Disko west—an updated strategic environmental impact assessment of oil and gas activities. Scientific Report from DCE—Danish Centre for Environment and Energy 438. Pp. 150–152. Aarhus, Denmark: Aarhus University.


Jakobsson M., Mayer L.A., Bringensparr C. Castro C.F., Mohammad R., Johnson P., Ketter T., Accettella D., Amblas D., An L., Arndt J.E., Canals M., Casamor J.L., Chauché N., Coakley B., Danielson S., Demarte M., Dickson M.-L., Dorschel B., Dowdeswell J.A., Dreutter S., Fremand A.C., Gallant D., Hall J.K., Hehemann L., Hodnesdal H., Hong J., Ivaldi R., Kane E., Klaucke I., Krawczyk D.W., Kristoffersen Y., Kuipers B.R., Millan R., Masetti G., Morlighem M., Noormets R., Prescott M.M., Rebesco M., Rignot E., Semiletov I., Tate A.J., Travaglini P., Velicogna I., Weatherall P., Weinrebe W., Willis J.K, Wood M., Zarayskaya Y., Zhang T., Zimmermann M. & Zinglersen K.B. 2020. The International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean version 4.0. Scientific Data 7, article no.176, doi: 10.1038/s41597-020-0520-9.


NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group 2023a. Aqua-MODIS sea surface temperature (11 u daytime), Daily (20220726), 4km, Standard Mapped Image, Level 3. Accessed on the internet at https://oceandata.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi/getfile/AQUA_MODIS.20220726.L3m.DAY.SST.sst.4km.nc on 6 January 2023.


NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group 2023b. Aqua-MODIS sea surface temperature (11 u daytime), 8-day (20220720-20220727), 4km, Standard Mapped Image, Level 3. Accessed on the internet at https://oceandata.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi/getfile/AQUA_MODIS.20220720_20220727.L3m.8D.SST.sst.4km.nc on 9 January 2023.


Nielsen N.H., Laidre K., Larsen R.S. & Heide-Jørgensen M.P. 2015. Identification of potential foraging areas for bowhead whales in Baffin Bay and adjacent waters. Arctic 68, 169–179, doi: 10.14430/arctic4488.


Rantanen M., Karpechko A.Y., Lipponen A., Nordling K., Hyvärinen O., Ruosteenoja K., Vihma T. & Laaksonen A. 2022. The Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the globe since 1979. Communications Earth & Environment 3, article no. 168, doi: 10.1038/s43247-022-00498-3.


Tervo O.M., Parks S.E. & Miller L.A. 2009. Seasonal changes in the vocal behavior of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in Disko Bay, western-Greenland. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 126, 1570–1580, doi: 10.1121/1.3158941.
Published
2023-07-20
How to Cite
Boertmann D., Raundrup K., Nymand J., Fritt-Rasmussen J., & Johansen K. L. (2023). Observations of bowhead whales in west Greenland during summer. Polar Research, 42. https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v42.9436
Section
Research Notes