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Bowhead and White Whale Migration, Distribution, and Abundance in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas, 1975-78
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1984
[PDF-27.99 MB]
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Description:From September 1975 to September 1977 we conducted field research on bowhead, Balaena mysticetus, and white, Delphinapterus leucas, whales in the U.S. Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas. The objectives were to determine the general distribution and migration of these whales in spring and autumn and to estimate abundance. We also surveyed the literature beginning in June 1975 through March 1978 to augment our empirical results.
Bowhead and white whales spend the winter months among the pack ice and open water of the central and western Bering Sea. They migrate into the eastern Chukchi Sea and across the southern and central Beaufort Sea from April through June. Their route takes them along the west side of the northern Bering Sea through Bering Strait, along the northwest coast of Alaska between Point Hope to Point Barrow, generally within 50 km of shore (closer to Point Banow than off Point Hope and Cape Lisburne), and offshore in the Beaufort Sea generally to within 60 km of the coast. Exceptions exist, and these are pointed out in the text.
It appears that virtually the entire bowhead migration follows this pattern; however, white whales may be divided into groups (or stocks) of varying sizes, some occurring in Bristol Bay, Norton Sound, Kotzebue Sound, and along the northwest coast of Alaska during summer. The largest component of the white whale population migrates into the Canadian Beaufort Sea in spring at roughly the same time as the bowheads. Autumn migration results were not obtained, generally, for either species. The 1978 minimum estimate of the size of the bowhead population was 1,800 to 2,900 individuals, and for the white whales occurring in Alaskan waters between 9,000 and 16,000 individuals.
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Rights Information:CC0 Public Domain
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