See also:

Bowhead whale numbers
 
Ringed seal abundance

Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Co-op

What is happening?

• The data presented here is from a 1992 survey which generated the highest estimate yet for the Beaufort Sea beluga whale population. There were approximately 20,000 beluga whales (at or near the water surface) estimated within the Mackenzie River estuary, southeast Beaufort Sea and west Amundsen Gulf.

Why is it happening?

• The numbers counted in this study are not directly comparable to previous estimates because of the larger area covered in this survey. This study does support previous work that found beluga whales were widely distributed in both offshore areas as well as in the Mackenzie River estuary.

Why is it important?

• Beluga whales are important to Inuvialuit from many communities for cultural reasons.
• Because beluga whales travel in both offshore and near shore waters, they may be sensitive to changes in the marine environment that could arise from increased development in the Beaufort Sea.

Technical Notes

• The number estimated in this study does not account for whales that were undetected far below the water surface and is better described as an index of the population size.
• Reference: Harwood, Lois A., S. Innes, P. Norton and M.C.S. Kingsley 1996. Distribution and abundance of beluga whales in the Mackenzie estuary, southeast Beaufort Sea and west Amundsen Gulf during late July 1992. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 53: 2262-2273.