Holocene History of the Bering Sea Bowhead Whale ( Balaena Mysticetus) in Its Beaufort Sea Summer Grounds off Southwestern Victoria Island, Western Canadian Arctic

• Published in: Quaternary Research
• Main Authors: Dyke, Arthur S., Savelle, James M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2001
• Subjects: Baffin Bay; Baffin; Balaena mysticetus; Beaufort Sea; Bering Sea; Bering Strait; bowhead whale; Victoria Island; Alaska
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/qres.2001.2228; http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0033589401922288?httpAccept=text/xml; http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0033589401922288?httpAccept=text/plain; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0033589400028519

Abstract The fossil remains of 43 bowhead whales were mapped on the raised beaches of western Wollaston Peninsula, Victoria Island, Canadian Arctic, near the historic summer range limit of the Bering Sea stock in the Beaufort Sea. The elevations and radiocarbon ages of the remains demonstrate that the bowhead ranged commonly into the region following the submergence of Bering Strait at ca. 10,000 14 C yr B.P. until ca. 8500 14 C yr B.P. During the same interval, bowheads ranged widely from the Beaufort Sea to Baffin Bay. Subsequently, no whales reached Wollaston Peninsula until ca. 1500 14 C yr B.P. Late Holocene populations evidently were small, or occupations were brief, in comparison to those of the early Holocene. Although the late Holocene recurrence may relate to the expansion of pioneering Thule whalers eastward from Alaska, there are few Thule sites and limited evidence of Thule whaling in the area surveyed to support this suggestion.