Winter Sighting of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Yakutat-Disenchantment Bay, Alaska

On 19 February 1997, we made the first documented winter sighting of beluga whales in Yakutat-Disenchantment Bay, Alaska. We estimated that 10 individuals were swimming in ice-free, turbid water near the Hubbard Glacier. The sporadic record of belugas in the bay suggests they may be occasional visit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Arctic 1999-12, Vol.52 (4), p.411-412
Main Authors: Hubbard, Joel D., Hansen, Donald J., Mahoney, Barbara A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerial surveys
Animal behavior
Aquatic mammals
Biologists
Biology
Cetacea
Delphinapterus leucas
Fisheries management
Fisheries science
Glaciers
Inlets
Marine
Marine fish
Marine mammals
Minerals
Ocean fisheries
Overwintering
Population decline
Salmon
Seals
Seas
Seasonal distribution
Telemetry
Whales
Whales & whaling
White whale
Wildlife
Winter
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Summary:On 19 February 1997, we made the first documented winter sighting of beluga whales in Yakutat-Disenchantment Bay, Alaska. We estimated that 10 individuals were swimming in ice-free, turbid water near the Hubbard Glacier. The sporadic record of belugas in the bay suggests they may be occasional visitors from the Cook Inlet population. /// Le 19 février 1997, nous avons pour la première fois enregistré la présence de bélougas en hiver dans la baie alaskienne de Yakutat-Disenchantment. On a estimé à 10 le nombre d'individus qui nageaient dans l'cau turbide libre de glace près du glacier Hubbard. La présence sporadique des bélougas dans la baie suggère qu'ils pourraient être des visiteurs occasionnels venant de la population du détroit de Cook.
ISSN:0004-0843
1923-1245
DOI:10.14430/arctic945