An estimate of the fraction of belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Canadian high Arctic that winter in West Greenland

Abstract

Five belugas, or white whales (Delphinapterus leucas), were tracked by satellite from Creswell Bay, Somerset Island, in the Canadian high Arctic towards West Greenland in autumn 2001. After 1 October, three of the whales stayed in the North Water polynya and the other two whales moved to West Greenland. One of the whales that moved to Greenland migrated south along the west coast, following a route and timing similar to another beluga tracked in 1996. The belugas that moved towards West Greenland from Canada did so before or near 1 October. The movements of both these whales followed a similar timing and assumed migratory route of belugas hunted in autumn in West Greenland. In Greenland, the hunt begins in September, where the first whales are taken in the northernmost community of Qaanaaq. Hunting takes place farther south in Upernavik in October, and finally in November and December, belugas are taken even farther south in Uummannaq and Disko Bay. The whales that remain in the North Water after 1 October most likely do not contribute to the harvest in West Greenland. Based on the total number of belugas satellite-tracked in Canada between 1995 and 2001 with tags that lasted beyond 1 October, approximately 0.15 (95% CI 0.06–0.35; n=26) of the summering stock of belugas in the Canadian high Arctic move to West Greenland for the winter. Genetic studies have indicated that belugas moving east through Lancaster Sound are significantly differentiated from belugas taken in the autumn hunt in West Greenland. These conflicting results suggest molecular genetics cannot be solely relied on to reveal the stock identity of these belugas.