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

• 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

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.