This layer represents the relative summer density of belugas in the St. Lawrence Estuary based on 35 aerial surveys carried out from 1990 to 2009. The boundaries of the areas were determined by combining the highest densities until the desired proportion of the population was obtained using kernel density estimation in order to obtain a smooth and continuous density distribution. Within Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the ecosystem approach is considered a tool for operational planning, project implementation and preparation of advisory reports. In response to this strategic direction, the DFO science division is committed to implement the ecosystem approach in its activities as Ecosystem Research Initiatives (ERI) in each of the six administrative regions of DFO. In the Quebec region, two pilot projects were implemented, of which one aimed to define and characterize the habitat of the St. Lawrence beluga (Delphinapterus leucas). Data sources and references: DFO. 2016. Ecosystem Research Initiative (ERI): Integrated Advice on the Summer Habitat of the St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas). DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2016/030. Mosnier, A., R. Larocque, M. Lebeuf, J.-F. Gosselin, S. Dubé, V. Lapointe, V. Lesage, V., H. Bourdages, D. Lefaivre, S. Senneville and C. Chion. 2016. Définition et caractérisation de l'habitat du béluga (Delphinapterus leucas) de l'estuaire du Saint-Laurent selon une approche écosystémique. Secr. can. de consult. sci. du MPO. Doc. de rech. 2016/052. vi + 93 p.

This layer represents the relative summer density of beluga calves in the St. Lawrence Estuary based on 35 aerial surveys carried out from 1990 to 2009. The boundaries of the areas were determined by combining the highest densities until the desired proportion of the population was obtained using kernel density estimation in order to obtain a smooth and continuous density distribution. Within Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the ecosystem approach is considered as a tool for operational planning, project implementation and preparation of advisory reports. In response to this strategic direction, the DFO science division is committed to implement the ecosystem approach in its activities as Ecosystem Research Initiatives (ERI) in each of the six administrative regions of DFO. In the Quebec region, two pilot projects were implemented, of which one aimed to define and characterize the habitat of the St. Lawrence beluga (Delphinapterus leucas). Data sources and references: DFO. 2016. Ecosystem Research Initiative (ERI): Integrated Advice on the Summer Habitat of the St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas). DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2016/030. Mosnier, A., R. Larocque, M. Lebeuf, J.-F. Gosselin, S. Dubé, V. Lapointe, V. Lesage, V., H. Bourdages, D. Lefaivre, S. Senneville and C. Chion. 2016. Définition et caractérisation de l'habitat du béluga (Delphinapterus leucas) de l'estuaire du Saint-Laurent selon une approche écosystémique. Secr. can. de consult. sci. du MPO. Doc. de rech. 2016/052. vi + 93 p.

This layer represents the seasonal distribution of St. Lawrence Estuary beluga whale population (Delphinapterus leucas). Summer distribution is based on many surveys conducted between the end of August and early September. Fall and winter distributions are based on aerial surveys conducted during mid-October, November and from December to March 1989-1990. Spring distribution is based on anecdotal reports and two aerial surveys conducted in late April and early June 1990. Beluga whale seasonal distribution can change according to sea ice cover, predation risk and food availability. This layer represents the general seasonal distribution and does not account for the sexual segregation among males and females in the St. Lawrence Estuary. This layer do not represent the beluga's critical habitat. See the data layer “Beluga whale critical habitat in the Saguenay River and the St. Lawrence Estuary” (https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/fdfef550-b94c-466c-9dcb-24c297c00e3e). Data source : Mosnier, A., Lesage, V., Gosselin, J.-F., Lemieux Lefebvre, S., Hammill, M. O., Doniol-Valcroze, T. 2010. Information relevant to the documentation of habitat use by St. Lawrence beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), and quantification of habitat quality. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec., Res. Doc. 2009/098. iv + 35 p.

This dataset contains digital data files on transects flown and reported in Harwood, L.A. and P. Norton (1996). Aerial survey data from the southeast Beaufort Sea, Mackenzie River estuary and west. Amundsen Gulf, July 1992. Canadian Data Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences No. 964

PURPOSE: An aerial survey of the Western Hudson Bay beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) population was conducted on August 19th, 2015 to provide a population estimate. Surveys were flown in a DeHavilland Twin Otter (DH-6) fitted with four bubble windows and an optical glass-covered camera hatch at the rear underbelly of the plane. A Global Positioning System (GPS) unit logged the position, altitude, speed, and heading of the aircraft each second. Surveys were initially flown at a target ground speed of 100 knots (185 km/h), and target altitudes of 1,000 ft (305 m) for visual surveys and 2,000 ft (610 m) for photographic surveys. After the second day of flying, the target ground speed was adjusted to 110 knots (204 km/h). Complete coverage of the two photographic strata was achieved using a Nikon D810 camera fitted with a 25 mm lens. The camera was mounted at the rear of the aircraft and directed straight down with the longest side perpendicular to the track line. The camera was connected to a GPS unit to geo-reference photographs, and to a laptop computer to control exposure settings and photo interval. At an altitude of 2,000 ft (610 m), the 25 mm lens captured a ground area of approximately 875 m x 585 m. The photograph interval was set to maintain an overlap of 20 to 40 % between consecutive photos, and with a transect spacing of 600 m, the lateral overlap between photos from adjacent transects was approximately 30 %. DESCRIPTION: Aerial surveys of summering Western Hudson Bay (WHB) beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) were conducted on August 19th, 2015 to update the previous population abundance. The survey area comprised five strata (three visual and two photographic) encompassing high use areas around three river estuaries where recurring aggregations of WHB beluga are found during the summer months. This metadata covers the photographic data related to the survey. The photographic surveys completely covered high density aggregations in the Churchill River and near the mouth of the Seal River.

PURPOSE: An aerial survey of the Western Hudson Bay beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) population was conducted on August 12th, 2015 to provide a population estimate. Surveys were flown in a DeHavilland Twin Otter (DH-6) fitted with four bubble windows and an optical glass-covered camera hatch at the rear underbelly of the plane. A Global Positioning System (GPS) unit logged the position, altitude, speed, and heading of the aircraft each second. Surveys were initially flown at a target ground speed of 100 knots (185 km/h), and target altitudes of 1,000 ft (305 m) for visual surveys and 2,000 ft (610 m) for photographic surveys. After the second day of flying, the target ground speed was adjusted to 110 knots (204 km/h). Complete coverage of the two photographic strata was achieved using a Nikon D810 camera fitted with a 25 mm lens. The camera was mounted at the rear of the aircraft and directed straight down with the longest side perpendicular to the track line. The camera was connected to a GPS unit to geo-reference photographs, and to a laptop computer to control exposure settings and photo interval. At an altitude of 2,000 ft (610 m), the 25 mm lens captured a ground area of approximately 875 m x 585 m. The photograph interval was set to maintain an overlap of 20 to 40 % between consecutive photos, and with a transect spacing of 600 m, the lateral overlap between photos from adjacent transects was approximately 30 %. DESCRIPTION: Aerial surveys of summering Western Hudson Bay (WHB) beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) were conducted on August 12th, 2015 to update the previous population abundance. The survey area comprised five strata (three visual and two photographic) encompassing high use areas around three river estuaries where recurring aggregations of WHB beluga are found during the summer months. This metadata covers the photographic data related to the survey. The photographic surveys completely covered high density aggregations in the Churchill River and near the mouth of the Seal River.

During the years 1992-1995 and 1999-2000, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provided funds for the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee (ABWC) to conduct studies of belugas in Alaska. Part of the ABWC research program consisted of aerial surveys of western Alaska beluga stocks, including the Eastern Bering Sea (EBS) stock. In 1992, several aerial surveys were conducted during three periods: 27-29 May, 17-21 June, and 18-22 September to assess the distribution of belugas during those periods. The surveys found relatively few belugas in May and September, but a large number of belugas in June. Based on those results, surveys in subsequent years were conducted only in June: 14-18 June 1993, 11-16 June 1994, 5-8 and 20-22 June 1995, 15-17 June 1999, and 17-20 June 2000. This dataset contains aerial survey data from the surveys described above.

This dataset documents Cook Inlet beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) groups encountered during visual surveys conducted in Upper Cook Inlet, Gulf of Alaska during the ice-free months of 2023. Data were collected from small boats and land-based stations, and include the date, group ID, group size, group composition, and location for each group. The photos on which the observations are based are not included in this package.

Satellite tracks of humpback whales tagged off the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia and tracked to Antarctic feeding grounds. Data can be found here: https://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/argos/display_campaign.cfm?campaign_id=87 Satellite tags were deployed on adult humpback whales with a modified version of the Air Rocket Transmitter System (ARTS, Restech) and a purpose-designed projectile carrier at a pressure of 7.5 – 10 bar. A custom-designed, 80mm anchor section is attached to a stainless steel cylindrical housing containing a location-only transmitter (SPOT-5 by Wildlife Computers, Redmond, Washington, USA and Kiwisat 202 Cricket by Sirtrack, Havelock North, New Zealand). This superseded anchor design resulted in the anchor section disarticulating upon deployment in order to achieve improved tag retention times while minimising impact. The tags were sterilised with ethylene oxide prior to deployment and implanted up to 290mm into the skin, blubber, interfacial layers and outer muscle mass of the whale. Tags were programmed to transmit to the Argos satellite system at various duty cycles and repetition rates for a maximum of 720 transmissions per day. These transmissions are relayed to processing centres which calculate the transmitter’s location by measuring the Doppler Effect on transmission frequency.

The National Marine Mammal Laboratory conducted aerial surveys to monitor the abundance and distribution of beluga whales in Cook Inlet, Alaska. This database contains the counts of beluga whale groups made by the aerial observers during surveys from 1993-2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2022. Counts occurred concurrent with video collection during each pass near a beluga group.