Use of Nearshore and Estuarine Areas of the Southeastern Bering Sea by Gray Whales (Eschrichtius robustus)

• Main Authors: Robert E. Gill, John D. Hall
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bering Sea; Arctic; Alaska
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.473.6722; http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/download/2276/2253/

ABSTRACT. During spring atrial surveys of the coast of the southmkrn Bering Sep signifiant numbers of gray whsles were seen in nearshore waters along the. north side of the Maaka peninsula. Many (SO-SO%) of thepe animals werc obsawd surfacing with mud trails M lying on Wu sides, characteristics both associated with fcsding. A migration route closc to shore (within 1-2 km) was used until whales MBnd Egegik Bay, where they began to head west 5-8 km offshore, across aorthcrn Bristol Bay. Smaller numbera of gray whples were present throughout summer in nearshore waters and estuaries along the north side of the Alaska Peninsula. At Nelson Lagoon gray M e s nonnally used the lagoon in spring, were absent during early summer, returned in mid-summer, and then were present until late November when they deparkd for the wintering grounds. Gray whales were present in the lagoon most often during periods of peak tidal flow; those that appuucd to be feeding were oriented into the cumnt. ”ee behaviors that appeared to be Bssociated with feeding were observed: side-feeding from a st don^ ^ position within sheltow waters of lagoon chan-nels, diving within the lagoon and in nearshone waters, and elliptical side-feeding in the surf urne along the outer coast. Large clustaceans of the genus Crangon were available to nad probably eaten by gray whales at Nelson Lagoon. Key words: gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus, feeding, behavior, estuaries, Wring Sea, Aleska RÉSUMI?. Un nombre significatif de baleines grises de Californie ont tc aperçues pr&s du littoral nord de la phinsule de l’Alaska, lors d‘inventaires