At-sea observations of ivory gulls (Pagophila eburnea) in the eastern Canadian high Arctic in 1993 and 2002 indicate a population decline

Evidence from colony surveys and local Inuit knowledge strongly suggest that the Canadian population of ivory gulls (Pagophila eburnea) has declined dramatically. The observations of ivory gulls at sea presented here are consistent with this. Ivory gulls were observed during two cruises on the Russian icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov in the eastern Canadian high Arctic in August 1993 and 2002. Ivory gulls were seen 3.5 times more often in 1993 (n = 176) than in 2002 (n = 149), and, corrected for observation effort, four times more ivory gulls were seen in 1993 than in 2002. Ivory gulls are scavengers: they were never observed feeding on fish behind the vessel while ice-breaking, although black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) often were seen feeding in this way. Ivory gulls were observed scavenging around polar-bear (Ursus maritimus) kills in 1993 but not in 2002. By far the largest number of ivory gulls was seen near Grise Fiord in 1993. There, opportunities for them to scavenge were likely good at the community landfill as well as at Inuit and polar-bear kills due to complete ice coverage of the surrounding marine area. No ivory gulls were seen there in 2002. Observations of four individuals in 1993 and five individuals in 2002 near the southern end of Eureka Sound and in Norwegian Bay, 150 km from the nearest known breeding colonies, suggest that as yet undiscovered colonies might exist in this area. With three lines of evidence (colony surveys, local Inuit knowledge, at-sea surveys) now indicating population decline, urgent reassessment of the status of ivory gulls in Canada needs to take place.

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Characterization of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) diets in the Canadian High Arctic

Polar Biology ◽

10.1007/s00300-015-1757-1 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 38 (12) ◽

pp. 1983-1992 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Melissa P. Galicia ◽

Gregory W. Thiemann ◽

Markus G. Dyck ◽

Steven H. Ferguson

Keyword(s):

Polar Bear ◽

High Arctic ◽

Ursus Maritimus ◽

Canadian High Arctic

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A First Count of Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia) and Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) Breeding on Bylot Island

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v131i1.1953 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 131 (1) ◽

pp. 69-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Anthony J. Gaston ◽

Marc-Andre Cyr ◽

Kieran O'Dononvan

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Image Quality ◽

National Park ◽

Canadian Arctic ◽

High Arctic ◽

Correction Factors ◽

Uria Lomvia ◽

Rissa Tridactyla ◽

Canadian Population ◽

Bylot Island

Bylot Island, part of Sirmilik National Park, supports two major breeding colonies of intermingled Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia) and Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla): at Cape Hay near the northwest tip and at Cape Graham Moore at the opposite end of the island. Although the size of these colonies has been estimated previously, there is no information on how the estimates were made, except for Thick-billed Murres at Cape Hay in 1977, when the numbers were based on sampling only about 30% of the colony. In 2013, high-resolution digital photographs of the whole area of both colonies were taken in July, when most birds were probably incubating eggs. Individual birds were counted on the photographs, and the numbers were corrected for image quality and converted to numbers of breeding pairs based on correction factors from another High Arctic colony. Our estimates were similar to those from earlier years for kittiwakes at Cape Graham Moore and for murres at Cape Hay, but suggested that numbers of murres were higher than previously thought at Cape Graham Moore, while numbers of kittiwakes were lower at Cape Hay. The overall total for the Canadian population of Thick-billed Murres was unaffected by these changes, but the total number of Black-legged Kittiwakes nesting in the Canadian Arctic may be 20% lower than previously thought.

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Glacier change on Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut, Canada

Journal of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/002214311798843287 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 57 (206) ◽

pp. 1079-1086 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Laura I. Thomson ◽

Gordon R. Osinski ◽

C. Simon L. Ommanney

Keyword(s):

Field Studies ◽

High Arctic ◽

Glacier Change ◽

Historical Records ◽

Canadian High Arctic ◽

Ice Caps ◽

Mountain Glaciers ◽

Ice Coverage ◽

Digital Format ◽

Axel Heiberg Island

AbstractHistorical records are valuable for assessing glacier change in the Canadian High Arctic. Ommanney’s (1969) detailed inventory of Axel Heiberg Island glaciers, based on photography from 1958–59, has been revisited, converted into digital format and compared to glacier extents mapped from 1999–2000 satellite imagery. Our results show that the island-wide ice coverage decreased by 15.92 km2 in the 42 year period, a loss of <1%. However, two trends are apparent: one of advance or minor retreat from basins hosting outlet glaciers from Müller and Steacie Ice Caps, and one of significant retreat, on the order of 50–80%, for independent ice masses, which include valley glaciers, mountain glaciers, glacierets, and ice caps smaller than 25 km2. If the contributions to ice advance of only three surging glaciers are removed, then the island-wide ice loss approaches 60 km2. Furthermore, it is notable that 90% of ice masses smaller than 0.2 km2 disappeared entirely during the 42 year study period, an observation confirmed by field studies. Successful predictions from the original inventory are highlighted and the likely mechanisms driving the observed advances and retreats are discussed.

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Three recent ice entrapments of Arctic cetaceans in West Greenland and the eastern Canadian High Arctic

NAMMCO Scientific Publications ◽

10.7557/3.2841 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 143 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

MP Heide-Jørgensen ◽

P Richard ◽

M Ramsay ◽

S Akeeagok

Keyword(s):

North Atlantic ◽

Polar Bear ◽

Canadian Arctic ◽

High Arctic ◽

Bowhead Whale ◽

Delphinapterus Leucas ◽

Polar Bears ◽

Canadian High Arctic ◽

West Greenland ◽

The One

Three ice entrapments of Monodontids have been reported in the western North Atlantic since 1993. Hunters in Disko Bay, West Greenland, discovered one in March 1994 that included about 150 narwhals (Monodon monoceros). The entrapment occurred during a sudden cold period which caused ice to form rapidly. The trapped whales were subject to hunting, but about 50 of the killed whales could not be retrieved in the ice. The whales were trapped in a small opening in the ice and because of that they would probably have succumbed even if not discovered by hunters. Two entrapments involving white whales or belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) occurred in the eastern Canadian Arctic in May 1999; one in Lancaster Sound discovered by polar bear (Ursus maritimus) researchers and one in Jones Sound discovered by hunters. The first included one bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) and about 40 belugas that were being preyed upon by polar bears. The second involved at least 170 belugas, of which about 100 were killed by polar bears and 17 were taken by hunters. The entrapments in Disko Bay and Jones Sound both occurred in areas where entrapments have previously been reported, whereas the one in Lancaster Sound was in a new area.

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Recent multi-year streamflow regimes and water budgets of hillslope catchments in the Canadian High Arctic: evaluation and comparison to other small Arctic watershed studies

Hydrology Research ◽

10.2166/nh.2014.004 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 46 (4) ◽

pp. 533-550 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kathy L. Young ◽

Melissa J. Lafrenière ◽

Scott F. Lamoureux ◽

Anna Abnizova ◽

Elizabeth A. Miller

Keyword(s):

Polar Bear ◽

High Arctic ◽

Peak Discharge ◽

Canadian High Arctic ◽

Water Budgets ◽

Streamflow Regime ◽

Timing Of Initiation ◽

Seasonal Streamflow

This study evaluates whether a recent decline in snowcover extent for circumpolar regions is matched by changes in the seasonal streamflow regime of several small hillslope catchments on Bathurst and Melville Islands. This includes shifts in the timing of initiation, peak discharge and impacts on the spring–summer water budgets. Paired catchments (West and East) at the Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory (CBAWO) on Melville Island (74.9°N, 109.5°W) have been studied from the pre-snowmelt season to early August since 2003. They are low-rolling tundra catchments between 8.0 and 11.6 km2 in area. Likewise, within the Polar Bear Pass (PBP) watershed, Bathurst Island (75.7°N 98.7°W), two hillslope basins, Windy Creek (4.2 km2) and Landing Strip Creek (0.2 km2) have been investigated since 2007. Detailed snow surveys were conducted each spring and streamflow estimates were made using the mid-section velocity method. Nival regimes continue to dominate in these basins but runoff ratios are variable between catchments, across islands, and from year-to-year. In comparison to earlier streamflow studies across the Queen Elizabeth Islands (QEIs), an earlier response to peak discharge and start of flow for these hillslope streams is confirmed. Water budgets for PBP, CBAWO differ from other small Arctic watersheds.

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