Population dynamics of the threatened Cumberland Sound beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population
Current scientific evidence indicates that the threatened Cumberland Sound beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) population is genetically differentiated and spatially segregated from other beluga whale populations. This population has been hunted for subsistence for centuries by Inuit...
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Canadian Science Publishing
2021
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:d4d09a36b08d4fb1a4e12533e8945acc 2023-05-15T14:23:42+02:00 Population dynamics of the threatened Cumberland Sound beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population Cortney A. Watt Marianne Marcoux Steven H. Ferguson Mike O. Hammill Cory J.D. Matthews 2021-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2019-0030 https://doaj.org/article/d4d09a36b08d4fb1a4e12533e8945acc EN FR eng fre Canadian Science Publishing https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2019-0030 https://doaj.org/toc/2368-7460 doi:10.1139/as-2019-0030 2368-7460 https://doaj.org/article/d4d09a36b08d4fb1a4e12533e8945acc Arctic Science, Vol 7, Iss 2, Pp 545-566 (2021) beluga whale abundance aerial survey population modelling risk assessment Environmental sciences GE1-350 Environmental engineering TA170-171 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2019-0030 2022-12-31T07:31:36Z Current scientific evidence indicates that the threatened Cumberland Sound beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) population is genetically differentiated and spatially segregated from other beluga whale populations. This population has been hunted for subsistence for centuries by Inuit who now live in the community of Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Canada, and was harvested commercially from 1860 until 1966. The commercial harvest removed at least 10 000 individuals from the population. Visual and photographic aerial surveys were flown during August 2014 and 2017 and produced beluga whale abundance estimates of 1151 (CV = 0.214; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 760–1744) and 1381 (CV = 0.043; CI = 1270–1502), respectively. Long-term trends in abundance were examined by fitting a Bayesian surplus-production population model to a time series of abundance estimates (n = 5), flown between 1990 and 2017, taking into account reported subsistence harvests (1960–2017). The model suggests the population is declining. Engaged co-management of the Cumberland Sound beluga population and information on demographic parameters, such as reproductive rates, and age and sex composition of the harvest, are needed to restore the ecological integrity of the Cumberland Sound marine ecosystem. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Beluga Beluga whale Beluga* Cumberland Sound Delphinapterus leucas inuit Nunavut Pangnirtung Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Nunavut Canada Cumberland Sound ENVELOPE(-66.014,-66.014,65.334,65.334) Pangnirtung ENVELOPE(-65.707,-65.707,66.145,66.145) Arctic Science 7 2 545 566 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English French |
topic |
beluga whale abundance aerial survey population modelling risk assessment Environmental sciences GE1-350 Environmental engineering TA170-171 |
spellingShingle |
beluga whale abundance aerial survey population modelling risk assessment Environmental sciences GE1-350 Environmental engineering TA170-171 Cortney A. Watt Marianne Marcoux Steven H. Ferguson Mike O. Hammill Cory J.D. Matthews Population dynamics of the threatened Cumberland Sound beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population |
topic_facet |
beluga whale abundance aerial survey population modelling risk assessment Environmental sciences GE1-350 Environmental engineering TA170-171 |
description |
Current scientific evidence indicates that the threatened Cumberland Sound beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) population is genetically differentiated and spatially segregated from other beluga whale populations. This population has been hunted for subsistence for centuries by Inuit who now live in the community of Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Canada, and was harvested commercially from 1860 until 1966. The commercial harvest removed at least 10 000 individuals from the population. Visual and photographic aerial surveys were flown during August 2014 and 2017 and produced beluga whale abundance estimates of 1151 (CV = 0.214; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 760–1744) and 1381 (CV = 0.043; CI = 1270–1502), respectively. Long-term trends in abundance were examined by fitting a Bayesian surplus-production population model to a time series of abundance estimates (n = 5), flown between 1990 and 2017, taking into account reported subsistence harvests (1960–2017). The model suggests the population is declining. Engaged co-management of the Cumberland Sound beluga population and information on demographic parameters, such as reproductive rates, and age and sex composition of the harvest, are needed to restore the ecological integrity of the Cumberland Sound marine ecosystem. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Cortney A. Watt Marianne Marcoux Steven H. Ferguson Mike O. Hammill Cory J.D. Matthews |
author_facet |
Cortney A. Watt Marianne Marcoux Steven H. Ferguson Mike O. Hammill Cory J.D. Matthews |
author_sort |
Cortney A. Watt |
title |
Population dynamics of the threatened Cumberland Sound beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population |
title_short |
Population dynamics of the threatened Cumberland Sound beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population |
title_full |
Population dynamics of the threatened Cumberland Sound beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population |
title_fullStr |
Population dynamics of the threatened Cumberland Sound beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population |
title_full_unstemmed |
Population dynamics of the threatened Cumberland Sound beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population |
title_sort |
population dynamics of the threatened cumberland sound beluga (delphinapterus leucas) population |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2019-0030 https://doaj.org/article/d4d09a36b08d4fb1a4e12533e8945acc |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-66.014,-66.014,65.334,65.334) ENVELOPE(-65.707,-65.707,66.145,66.145) |
geographic |
Nunavut Canada Cumberland Sound Pangnirtung |
geographic_facet |
Nunavut Canada Cumberland Sound Pangnirtung |
genre |
Arctic Beluga Beluga whale Beluga* Cumberland Sound Delphinapterus leucas inuit Nunavut Pangnirtung |
genre_facet |
Arctic Beluga Beluga whale Beluga* Cumberland Sound Delphinapterus leucas inuit Nunavut Pangnirtung |
op_source |
Arctic Science, Vol 7, Iss 2, Pp 545-566 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2019-0030 https://doaj.org/toc/2368-7460 doi:10.1139/as-2019-0030 2368-7460 https://doaj.org/article/d4d09a36b08d4fb1a4e12533e8945acc |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2019-0030 |
container_title |
Arctic Science |
container_volume |
7 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
545 |
op_container_end_page |
566 |
_version_ |
1766296188809641984 |