Distribution, Movement and Abundance of Polar Bears in Lancaster Sound, Northwest Territories

• Main Authors: R. E. Schweinsburg, L. J. Lee, P. B. Latour
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Baffin Bay; Baffin Island; Barrow Strait; Clyde River; Greenland; Jones Sound; Lancaster Sound; Northwest Territories; Prince Regent Inlet; Wellington Channel; Arctic; Baffin
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.499.6249; http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic35-1-159.pdf

ABSTRACT. Mark-recapture studies show that polar bears are distributed at varying densities throughout Lancaster Sound during winter and spring. Major concentrations occur along the north and south coasts and the transverse floe edge at the mouth of the sound. As the ice melts, some bears move west whereas others move to nearby land areas. There is some evidence that as the ice forms, polar bears return from their summer locations to eastern Lancaster Sound. Polar bears of Lancaster Sound are part of the larger population whose western range extends to Barrow Strait, Prince Regent Inlet, Wellington Channel and Jones Sound. The southern and eastern range limits are unknown although this population may extend at least to Clyde River on northeastern Baffin Island and probably to Greenland. Maternity denning appears to be widespread over the study area probably because of the abundance of suitable habitat. We estimated a population of 1031 2236 polar bears in Lancaster Sound during 1979; however, more estimates are needed to determine if this relatively high number is normal for the area. Key words: polar bear, distribution, movement, abundance, Baffin Bay, Lancaster Sound, summer retreat, denning RÉSUMÉ. Les ttudes de “marquage-recapture ” dtmontrent que les ours polaires sont rkpartis selon des densitts variables &travers le dttroit de Lancaster durant l’hiver et le printemps. Les concentrations les plus importantes se trouvent le long des c6tes nord et sud et sur la bordure transversale de la glace en derive &l’embouchure du dttroit. A la fonte des glaces, certains ours dtmtnagent B l’ouest alors que les autres dtmdnagent sur les terres B proximitt. Certains faits indiquent que, lorsque la p6riode de formation des glaces est revenue, les ours polaires quittent leur temtoire d’ttt pour revenir B l’est du dttroit de Lancaster. Les ours polaires du dttroit de Lancasterfont partie d’une