Abundance and Distribution of Humpback Whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) in West Greenland Waters

Using photoidentification of individual humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and mark–recapture calculations in 1981 (mark) and 1982 (recapture), the population of this species that occurs in summer along the West Greenland coast between 63 and 70°N was estimated to be less than 200 whales. Whal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Main Authors: Perkins, Judith S., Balcomb III, Kenneth C., Nichols Jr., George, DeAvilla, Marisa
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1984
Subjects:
Aquatic Science
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Greenland
Megaptera novaeangliae
North Atlantic
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f84-065
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f84-065
Description
Summary:Using photoidentification of individual humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and mark–recapture calculations in 1981 (mark) and 1982 (recapture), the population of this species that occurs in summer along the West Greenland coast between 63 and 70°N was estimated to be less than 200 whales. Whale distribution, however, was not random. Humpbacks were found clustered on Fyllas Banke (Godthaab District) during July and August in both years. Only a few individuals were scattered within a 240-km radius of this location. No West Greenland humpbacks have been seen in other known western North Atlantic feeding areas and vice versa.

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