Spatio-temporal summer distribution of Cumberland Sound beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Clearwater Fiord

The Cumberland Sound (Nunavut, Canada) beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) population has been designated as threatened and updated biological information about summer distribution is required for a sound recovery plan. Variation in aerial survey counts are speculated to occur due to movement of belugas in and out of the fiord, and there is still uncertainty related to their distribution within key summer habitat. To address these knowledge gaps, non-invasive passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) systems were deployed in August of 2010 and 2011. An automated detector was used to determine presence/absence and quantify calls by recorder site. Results were verified by partial manual analysis of 20% of the files. The detector had a minimum accuracy of 85% for presence/absence and 42% for call quantification. Belugas were detected primarily at the uppermost site of Clearwater Fiord, with detections subsiding with increasing proximity to the fiord entrance. Diel variation in call patterns were quantified at two separate sites in different years, but no correlation was observed between tidal cycles and number of detections. This study indicates that Cumberland Sound beluga may prefer sites at the head of Clearwater Fiord. Further research is required to identify which environmental variables contribute to this observed summer distribution.

Social-ecological changes and implications for understanding the declining beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) harvest in Aklavik, Northwest Territories

Subsistence is the basis for food access for Inuvialuit in the western Canadian Arctic and has strong economic, dietary, and cultural importance. Inuvialuit harvest beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) from the eastern Beaufort beluga population during summer months within parameters established through co-management. Over the past thirty years there has been a dramatic decline in the number of beluga harvested by Inuvialuit from the community of Aklavik, Northwest Territories. This paper investigates the potential drivers of change, both social and ecological, affecting the beluga harvest. Data were collected using 32 semi-directed interviews and experiential learning. Results revealed that ecological changes, notably coastal erosion at preferred whaling camps and unpredictable and severe weather have made harvesting more difficult, expensive, and often impractical. These changes are being experienced together with social changes including the loss of elders and their knowledge, and changing values and motivations for harvesting beluga. We conclude that no one driver is responsible for the decline in the beluga harvest, but rather it is the result of multiple social-ecological changes operating across scales that affect the feasibility of the harvest and motivation to participate. Isumatuyut ikayuqtuat avvakuyaa niqimun pimagaa Inuvialuit uataani Canadian Arcticmi nakuuyuq manik, niqilu, inuusiq nakuruallaktuaq. Inuvialuit katitait qilalugaq (Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) kivanmun Beaufort qilalugaq suli auyaqmi savaktiit. Sivulliqmi inuinnaq-qulit ukiuqmi mikliyuat tapqua qilalugaq katitait Inuvialuit Aklavik, Northwest Territoriesmi. Una makpiraaq ilisaqtuat anguniaqtuat, iluqatik inuuniarvikmi imaqmilu, tutqaanaittuq qilalugaq katitait. Kisitchiun katitait atugaa inuinnaq-qulit-malruknik apiqsiyuat asulu ilisaqtuat. Taimaagaa takupkagaa imaqmilu allauyuaq, taamna sallirq maqaigaa nuna taamna qilalugaqmun tanmaaq asulu allauyuaq silakluk asiin katitait tutqaanaittuq, akituyuqlu tutqaanaittuq. Taamna allauyuat illisaktuat atautchikun inuuniarvik ila tuquyuat innait asulu ilisimaruat, allauyuat pitqusiqlu ikayuqtuaq katitait qilalugaq. Uvagut taimagaa anguniaqti mikliyuat qilalugaq katitait taimagaa inugiaktut inuuniarvikmi imaqmilu allauyuaq savaktuat tutqaanaittuq asulu katitait ikayuqtuat ila taputiyaa.

Lateralized sound production in the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)

ABSTRACTLike other toothed whales, belugas produce sound through pneumatic actuation of two phonic lip pairs, but it is unclear whether both pairs are actuated concurrently to generate a single sound (the dual actuation hypothesis) or laterally in the production of their rich vocal repertoires. Here, using suction cup hydrophones on the head of a trained beluga whale, we measured seven different communication signal types and echolocation clicks in order to test the hypothesis that belugas produce distinct sounds unilaterally. We show that, like other delphinoids, belugas produce echolocation clicks with the right phonic lips and tonal sounds from the left. We also demonstrate for the first time that the left phonic lips are responsible for generating communication signals other than tonal sounds. Thus, our findings provide empirical support for functionalized laterality in delphinoid sound production, in keeping with the functional laterality hypothesis of vocal-motor control in toothed whales.