Narwhals and seismic exploration: Is seismic noise increasing the risk of ice entrapments?

Heide‐Jørgensen, Mads Peter; Hansen, Rikke G.; Westdal, Kristin H.; Reeves, Randall R.; Mosbech, Anders

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2012.08.005

Cited by 60 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 29 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The presence of long-finned pilot whales along Baffin Bay has not been reported in the literature to date; however, in an aerial line transect survey conducted off northwest Greenland during August to September 2007, these whales were observed southwest of Greenland between 65˚ N and 68˚ N (Heide-Jørgensen et al, 2013b). In the present acoustic data, long-finned pilot whales were detected on several occasions at two offshore stations (BB5 and BB6; September 2013) and at the southern station (BB10) during fall 2013 (30 September, which matches visual observations of 100 individuals that day).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…In the present acoustic data, long-finned pilot whales were detected on several occasions at two offshore stations (BB5 and BB6; September 2013) and at the southern station (BB10) during fall 2013 (30 September, which matches visual observations of 100 individuals that day). Heide-Jørgensen et al (2013b) mentioned that long-finned pilot whale sightings and catches were reported along the coast of Greenland from Qaqortoq to Upernavik between May and October, which suggests a summer-winter movement resulting from the spring bloom of primary production and subsequent prey abundance. Heide-Jørgensen et al (2013b) observed that long-finned pilot whales were present in deep offshore waters, with a preference for depths between 300 and 2000 m and at least 30 km from land.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Heide-Jørgensen et al (2013b) mentioned that long-finned pilot whale sightings and catches were reported along the coast of Greenland from Qaqortoq to Upernavik between May and October, which suggests a summer-winter movement resulting from the spring bloom of primary production and subsequent prey abundance. Heide-Jørgensen et al (2013b) observed that long-finned pilot whales were present in deep offshore waters, with a preference for depths between 300 and 2000 m and at least 30 km from land. His observation suggests that pilot whales, whether traveling or foraging, are usually not found on the Greenlandic shelf, but primarily in the deeper waters beyond the shelf.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1), and the potential opening of the Northwest Passage could lead to regular vessel transits in this area. Vessels associated with transportation and oil and gas exploration and production have the potential to change the soundscape and affect local species, particularly marine mammals (Heide-Jørgensen et al, 2013b). Marine mammals depend on sounds for many critical life processes such as navigating, communicating, monitoring young, mating-related and social displays, and foraging (Tyack and Clark, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Seasonal Trends in Acoustic Detection of Marine Mammals in Baffin Bay and Melville Bay, Northwest Greenland + Supplementary Appendix 1 (See Article Tools)

Frouin‐Mouy¹,

Kowarski²,

Martin³

et al. 2017

ARCTIC

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACT. The expansion of hydrocarbon exploration in northwest Greenland has made it increasingly important to understand the occurrence of marine mammals in the region. We describe the seasonal occurrence of marine mammals and the spatial distribution of their calls in Baffin Bay and Melville Bay. Four Autonomous Multichannel Acoustic Recorders (AMARs) were deployed during summer 2012 (late July to early October), five recorders during September 2013, and two recorders from late September 2013 to early September 2014. The call presence of several species was analyzed using automatic call detection and manual verification analysis methods. A novel approach to discern narwhal (Monodon monoceros) clicks from beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) clicks was implemented during the verification process. Narwhal calls were detected in spring and fall, showing a south-to-north migration pattern in spring and a north-to-south migration pattern in fall. Few beluga whales were detected during fall 2013 and spring 2014. Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) calls were detected mainly during spring (mating period). A small number of bowhead whale calls (Balaena mysticetus) were detected during fall 2013 and spring and summer 2014. For the first time at this latitude in Baffin Bay, long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) were detected during summer and fall. Our results suggest that the presence of marine mammals in Baffin Bay and Melville Bay is governed mainly by the annual cycle of sea ice formation and decay.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Seasonal Trends in Acoustic Detection of Marine Mammals in Baffin Bay and Melville Bay, Northwest Greenland + Supplementary Appendix 1 (See Article Tools)

Frouin‐Mouy¹,

Kowarski²,

Martin³

et al. 2017

ARCTIC

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Sea-ice loss, consequently, is a concern for many species tightly associated with sea ice, including narwhal (International Whaling Commission [IWC], 1997; Laidre & Heide-Jørgensen, 2005;Loeng et al, 2005;Laidre et al, 2008;Moore & Huntington, 2008;Williams et al, 2011;Evans & Bjørge, 2013). In addition to food web changes, loss of sea ice leads to increasing human activities in the Arctic such as shipping and seismic exploration, which possibly further affects narwhal habitat (Evans & Bjørge, 2013;Heide-Jørgensen et al, 2013;Reeves et al, 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Extralimital Record of a Narwhal (Monodon monoceros) in Europe

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

On 27 April 2016, a dead narwhal (Monodon monoceros) was found on the bank of the River Scheldt, Belgium. It was the first record of this high Arctic cetacean in Belgium, and one of the most southerly records ever in Europe. Due to the decomposition of the carcass, the results of the autopsy remained inconclusive, but it is likely that the animal had died due to a long process of starvation. In the stomach, a large number of litter items were found which were probably ingested during the process of dying. We further provide information on the sighting of the live animal prior to the stranding and present an overview of the very few known records of narwhal in northwestern Europe.

show abstract

Proximity analysis between icebreakers and narwals in Tasiujaq, Nunavut, Canada

Mayette,

Shuert,

Hussey

et al. 2024

J Wildl Manag

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Icebreaker vessels in the Canadian Arctic are used to monitor and maintain open shipping lanes during summer and fall. Icebreaker operating routes often overlap with important habitats of endemic Arctic marine mammals, leading to potential interactions and disturbance. In this study, we examined the frequency, proximity, and duration of encounter events between narwhals (Monodon monoceros) and icebreaker vessels in Tasiujaq (Eclipse Sound), Nunavut, an important summering area for this species. We combined tracking data from 25 narwhals equipped with satellite telemetry devices in Tasiujaq between 2016 and 2018 with automatic identification system (AIS) data for the same period from 7 icebreaker vessels. We defined an encounter event between a narwhal and an icebreaker as the total consecutive occurrences of an individual within 50 km of a vessel within 1 hour. For all years combined, 17 out of 25 narwhals had at least 1 encounter with an icebreaker and all 7 icebreakers were involved in at least 1 encounter. The closest distance (closest point of approach) recorded was <1 km and the longest cumulative duration of encounter events for 1 narwhal with 1 icebreaker was 121.6 hours (n = 27 encounter events over 17 days). Proximity and continuous exposure of narwhals to high levels of noise are a key concern when considering short‐ and long‐term effects on behavior and fitness of this species.

show abstract

Narwhals and seismic exploration: Is seismic noise increasing the risk of ice entrapments?

Cited by 60 publications

References 29 publications

Seasonal Trends in Acoustic Detection of Marine Mammals in Baffin Bay and Melville Bay, Northwest Greenland + Supplementary Appendix 1 (See Article Tools)

Seasonal Trends in Acoustic Detection of Marine Mammals in Baffin Bay and Melville Bay, Northwest Greenland + Supplementary Appendix 1 (See Article Tools)

New Extralimital Record of a Narwhal (Monodon monoceros) in Europe

Proximity analysis between icebreakers and narwals in Tasiujaq, Nunavut, Canada

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About