Winter Distribution of Bearded Seals ( Erignathus barbatus) in the Penny Strait Area, Northwest Territories, as Determined by Underwater Vocalizations

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• Main Authors: Cleator, Holly J., Stirling, Ian
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1990
• Subjects: Northwest Territories; Penny Strait; bearded seal; Erignathus barbatus; Odobenus rosmarus; walrus*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f90-123; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f90-123

Vocalization surveys conducted in Penny Strait, Northwest Territories, indicated that before ice break-up, bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) preferred regions of less stable ice where break-up occurred early and avoided stable, landfast ice or areas heavily used by walruses (Odobenus rosmarus). Water depth did not appear to influence distribution. Numbers of calls increased between mid-April and early June, probably because of an increase in rate of calling by individual seals. Vocalization surveys can be used to separate preferred habitats from unsuitable ones. Using a single hydrophone and our current understanding of bearded seal vocal behaviour, it is not possible to determine the absolute number of bearded seals at or near a site using vocalizations. However, it is possible to measure the relative abundance of seals for spatial and temporal comparisons.