Marine mammals inhabiting the Baffin Bay North Water in winter. Arctic

ABSTRACT. Aerial surveys in March-April 1978 and March 1979 showed that some species of marine mammals overwinter in isolated areas of open water in the North Water in northern Baffin Bay. About 700 walruses and 37 bearded seals were seen, most over deep water (200-500 m) near SE Ellesmere Island in...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kerwin J Finley, Wayne E. Renaud
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1980
Subjects:
Arctic
Baffin Bay
Baie de Baffin
Ellesmere Island
Phoques
Smith Sound
Baffin
banquise
Beluga*
narwhal*
Smith sound
walrus*
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.514.5879
http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic33-4-724.pdf
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Summary:ABSTRACT. Aerial surveys in March-April 1978 and March 1979 showed that some species of marine mammals overwinter in isolated areas of open water in the North Water in northern Baffin Bay. About 700 walruses and 37 bearded seals were seen, most over deep water (200-500 m) near SE Ellesmere Island in March 1979. Both species were much less common in 1978. Approximately 500 belugas were found in recurrent leads along the edge of the fast-ice in eastern Jones and Lancaster sounds and, to a lesser extent, in Smith Sound. Only 12 narwhals were seen. It has been concluded that the North Water is not a major overwintering area for marine mammals. RÉSUMÉ. Les reconnaissances akriennes effectuées en mars et avril 1978 et en mars 1979 ont montre que quelques esptces de mammiftres marins peuvent passer l’hiver dans les aires isolees des eaux libres dans les “Eaux du Nord”, au nord de la baie de Baffin. En mars 1979, environ 700 morses et 37 phoques barbus ont et6 observes, la plupart à la surface des eaux profondes (200-500 m.), prts de la partie sud-est de l’île Ellesmere. Ces deux esptces Ctaient moins frequentes en 1978. Environ 500 belougas furent découverts dans les fissures qui se forment periodiquement sur les bords de la banquise dans les parties orientales des dttroits Jones et Lancaster, et 6 un moindre degr & dans le bras de mer Smith. Seulement 12 narvals furent apercus. Ainsi, les “Eaux du Nord ” ne sont pas une aire majeure d’hivernage pour les mammiftres marins. Traduit par Ian Badgley, Universitt du Quebec à Montreal.

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