![Sample our Environment & Sustainability journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5935/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Environment-Sustainability.jpg"})
Abstract
We identified individual killer whales (Orcinus orca) using recent (2004–09) photographs to obtain a minimum count of whales that use eastern Canadian Arctic waters. Fifty-three individuals were identified from nine different sightings; 11 individuals from western Hudson Bay sightings and 42 from the areas around northern and eastern Baffin Island. One whale was re-sighted: an adult female or large juvenile photographed 17 days and 375 km apart at Churchill, Manitoba, and off-shore of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, in August 2007. With only one individual re-sighted, the number of individuals that use this area is likely much larger. No re-sightings occurred between Arctic killer whales and individuals photographed off the coast of Newfoundland. Our results represent the minimum number of killer whales sighted in eastern Canadian Arctic waters and provide the foundation for further killer whale research. Little is known about Arctic killer whales and, as a top predator, it is unclear what effect they have on Arctic marine ecosystems.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all individuals who provided photographs and information on killer whale sightings: Tim Janzen/Canadian Hydrographic Service, Kristen Laidre, Paul Nicklen, crew of the CCGS Henry Larsen, Beth Guptil, Mike Macri (Sea North Tours), Geoff Greene (Students on Ice), Kristin Kanes, Trevor Lush, Bali Symenuk, Gabriel Armendariz, Marianne Marcoux, Marie Auger-Méthé, Laura Bombier, Les Stroud Productions, Dave Reid, Dennis Minty, Jean Weller, Cruise North Expeditions, Raymond Mercer, Pierre Richard, Kevin Coghill, Bailey McMeans, Janet King and Gretchen Freund. We would also like to thank John Ford and Graeme Ellis for their comments on the photographic analysis during the early stages of the manuscript, as well as Elly Chmelnitsky for her assistance throughout the writing process. Funding was provided by the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, Nunavut Implementation Fund, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, University of Manitoba, ArcticNet Centres of Excellence, International Polar Year (Global Warming and Arctic Marine Mammals project), Manitoba Hydro, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (to SHF and JWH) and Northern Scientific Training Program.