Groups of related belugas (<i>Delphinapterus leucas</i>) travel together during their seasonal migrations in and around Hudson Bay

Colbeck, Gabriel J.; Duchesne, Pierre; Postma, Lianne D.; Lesage, Véronique; Hammill, Mike O.; Turgeon, Jean

doi:10.1098/rspb.2012.2552

Cited by 65 publications

(70 citation statements)

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“…most often grouped with other males while related adult females, younger males and females, and calves may be found in larger groups while migrating (Colbeck et al, 2013).…”

Section: Hill Et Al 108mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Belugas travel in groups of 10 to 100 individuals across Arctic and sub-Arctic waters and summer in larger congregations in warmer waters (Brodie, 1971;Kleinenberg, Yablokov, Bel'kovich, & Tarasevich, 1969;Sergeant, 1973). Distribution data indicate that belugas live in large social groups that appear to be organized by age and sex (Colbeck et al, 2013;O'Corry-Crowe, Suydam, Rosenberg, Frost, & Dizon, 1997;Sergeant, 1973;Smith, Hammill, & Martin, 1994). Adult males are most often grouped with other males while related adult females, younger males and females, and calves may be found in larger groups while migrating (Colbeck et al, 2013).…”

Section: Belugasmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Distribution data indicate that belugas live in large social groups that appear to be organized by age and sex (Colbeck et al, 2013;O'Corry-Crowe, Suydam, Rosenberg, Frost, & Dizon, 1997;Sergeant, 1973;Smith, Hammill, & Martin, 1994). Adult males are most often grouped with other males while related adult females, younger males and females, and calves may be found in larger groups while migrating (Colbeck et al, 2013).…”

Section: Belugasmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Developing a Catalog of Socio-Sexual Behaviors of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Care of Humans

Hill¹,

Dietrich²,

Yeater³

et al. 2015

AB&C

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-The repertoire of socio-sexual and sexual behaviors of cetaceans is relatively unknown. The purpose of the current study was to advance the existing knowledge of socio-sexual behavior of beluga whales through the development of a behavioral catalog that lists the full repertoire of sexual and socio-sexual behaviors. A behavioral catalog was developed initially from 800 hours of observations, collected across a 7-year period from 11 belugas ranging in age (birth to 30+ years), sex, and social groupings. Using this behavioral catalog, observations of eight additional belugas housed between two other facilities were coded for socio-sexual and sexual behaviors. Sociosexual and sexual behaviors of belugas were similar across all three facilities. Socio-sexual and sexual behaviors involved sequenced behaviors, had lateralized components, and were often subtle in nature. Some of these behaviors overlapped with potentially aggressive actions but showed distinct differences in their form, or topography. Complexity and duration of socio-sexual interactions varied depending on the age and sex of the participating belugas. The development of a complete behavioral catalog, or ethogram, of the socio-sexual and sexual behaviors has profound influences on understanding the mechanisms involved for successful reproduction, a problem that several groups of belugas in their natural habitat are currently facing.Keywords -Beluga, Socio-sexual behavior, Sexual behavior, Behavioral repertoire, Delphinapterus leucas Socio-sexual behavior has been studied in terms of reproductive success, copulation, and courtship. Reproductive success and copulation rates are relatively easy to identify if the definition includes documenting pregnancies, births, and intromission attempts between sexually-mature and receptive individuals. These behaviors, which are directly related to conception or involve direct stimulation of genitalia, can be defined with the term sexual (Campbell, 2007;Connor, Read, & Wrangham, 2000;Connor, Wells, Mann, & Read, 2000). In comparison, socio-sexual behavior includes behaviors that may not be directly involved in conception but may be used for other social purposes, such as developing and maintaining relationships between individuals or courtship (Campbell, 2007;Connor, Wells, et al., 2000). Courtship has traditionally been defined as the innate set of behaviors performed prior to copulation (Lorenz, 1958;Tinbergen, 1952). More recently, the definition of courtship has been expanded to include both elicited innate and emitted learned stereotyped behaviors that draw the attention of potential mates (reviewed by Freeberg, 2000). Hill et al. 106A review of general research on animal behavior indicated that sexual and socio-sexual interactions were the least studied area of research (27% of articles reviewed, Hill, Artz, & Lopez, 2014). Most studies of socio-sexual and sexual interactions have been conducted primarily with fish, amphibians, and invertebrates in laboratory settings. The sexual and socio-sexual behav...

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“…most often grouped with other males while related adult females, younger males and females, and calves may be found in larger groups while migrating (Colbeck et al, 2013).…”

Section: Hill Et Al 108mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Belugasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Belugasmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Developing a Catalog of Socio-Sexual Behaviors of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Care of Humans

Hill¹,

Dietrich²,

Yeater³

et al. 2015

AB&C

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, a potential cost may be that this conservatism could impede the re-colonization of extirpated areas (Colbeck et al, 2013).…”

Section: Retaining Cultural Skillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine Mammal Behavior: A Review of Conservation Implications

Brakes

Dall

2016

Front. Mar. Sci.

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The three orders which comprise the extant marine mammals exhibit a wide range of behaviors, varying social structures, and differences in social information use. Human impacts on marine mammals and their environments are ubiquitous; from chemical and noise pollution, to marine debris, prey depletion, and ocean acidification. As a result, no marine mammal populations remain entirely unaffected by human activities. Conservation may be hindered by an inadequate understanding of the behavioral ecology of some of these species. As a result of social structure, social information use, culture, and even behavioral syndromes, marine mammal social groups, and populations can be behaviorally heterogeneous. As a result responses to conservation initiatives, or exploitation, may be complex to predict. Previous commentators have highlighted the importance of incorporating behavioral data into conservation management and we review these considerations in light of the emerging science in this field for marine mammals. Since behavioral canalization may lead to vulnerability, whereas behavioral plasticity may provide opportunity for resilience, we argue that for many of these socially complex, cognitive species understanding their behavioral ecology, capacity for social learning, and individual behavioral variation, may be a central tenant for their successful conservation.

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Dentine oxygen isotopes (δ¹⁸O) as a proxy for odontocete distributions and movements

Matthews

Longstaffe

Ferguson

2016

Ecology and Evolution

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Spatial variation in marine oxygen isotope ratios (δ 18O) resulting from differential evaporation rates and precipitation inputs is potentially useful for characterizing marine mammal distributions and tracking movements across δ 18O gradients. Dentine hydroxyapatite contains carbonate and phosphate that precipitate in oxygen isotopic equilibrium with body water, which in odontocetes closely tracks the isotopic composition of ambient water. To test whether dentine oxygen isotope composition reliably records that of ambient water and can therefore serve as a proxy for odontocete distribution and movement patterns, we measured δ 18O values of dentine structural carbonate (δ 18 OSC) and phosphate (δ 18 OP) of seven odontocete species (n = 55 individuals) from regional marine water bodies spanning a surface water δ 18O range of several per mil. Mean dentine δ 18 OSC (range +21.2 to +25.5‰ VSMOW) and δ 18 OP (+16.7 to +20.3‰) values were strongly correlated with marine surface water δ 18O values, with lower dentine δ 18 OSC and δ 18 OP values in high‐latitude regions (Arctic and Eastern North Pacific) and higher values in the Gulf of California, Gulf of Mexico, and Mediterranean Sea. Correlations between dentine δ 18 OSC and δ 18 OP values with marine surface water δ 18O values indicate that sequential δ 18O measurements along dentine, which grows incrementally and archives intra‐ and interannual isotopic composition over the lifetime of the animal, would be useful for characterizing residency within and movements among water bodies with strong δ 18O gradients, particularly between polar and lower latitudes, or between oceans and marginal basins.

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Groups of related belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) travel together during their seasonal migrations in and around Hudson Bay

Cited by 65 publications

References 58 publications

Developing a Catalog of Socio-Sexual Behaviors of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Care of Humans

Developing a Catalog of Socio-Sexual Behaviors of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Care of Humans

Marine Mammal Behavior: A Review of Conservation Implications

Dentine oxygen isotopes (δ¹⁸O) as a proxy for odontocete distributions and movements

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Groups of related belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) travel together during their seasonal migrations in and around Hudson Bay

Cited by 65 publications

References 58 publications

Developing a Catalog of Socio-Sexual Behaviors of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Care of Humans

Developing a Catalog of Socio-Sexual Behaviors of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Care of Humans

Marine Mammal Behavior: A Review of Conservation Implications

Dentine oxygen isotopes (δ18O) as a proxy for odontocete distributions and movements

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Product

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Dentine oxygen isotopes (δ¹⁸O) as a proxy for odontocete distributions and movements