scholarly journals A shift in foraging behaviour of beluga whales Delphinapterus leucas from the threatened Cumberland Sound population may reflect a changing Arctic food web

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 259-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
CA Watt ◽  
J Orr ◽  
SH Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Delphinapterus Leucas ◽  
Beluga Whales ◽  
Cumberland Sound ◽  
Arctic Food Web

scholarly journals Spatio-temporal summer distribution of Cumberland Sound beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Clearwater Fiord

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karyn Booy ◽  
Xavier Mouy ◽  
Steven H. Ferguson ◽  
Marianne Marcoux
Keyword(s):  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Biological Information ◽  
Delphinapterus Leucas ◽  
Diel Variation ◽  
Beluga Whales ◽  
Cumberland Sound ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Summer Distribution ◽  
Beluga Whale Delphinapterus Leucas ◽  
Passive Acoustic

The Cumberland Sound (Nunavut, Canada) beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) population has been designated as threatened and updated biological information about summer distribution is required for a sound recovery plan. Variation in aerial survey counts are speculated to occur due to movement of belugas in and out of the fiord, and there is still uncertainty related to their distribution within key summer habitat. To address these knowledge gaps, non-invasive passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) systems were deployed in August of 2010 and 2011. An automated detector was used to determine presence/absence and quantify calls by recorder site. Results were verified by partial manual analysis of 20% of the files. The detector had a minimum accuracy of 85% for presence/absence and 42% for call quantification. Belugas were detected primarily at the uppermost site of Clearwater Fiord, with detections subsiding with increasing proximity to the fiord entrance. Diel variation in call patterns were quantified at two separate sites in different years, but no correlation was observed between tidal cycles and number of detections. This study indicates that Cumberland Sound beluga may prefer sites at the head of Clearwater Fiord. Further research is required to identify which environmental variables contribute to this observed summer distribution.

scholarly journals Electrophysiological audiograms in seven beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the Okhotsk Sea population

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evgeniya V. Sysueva ◽  
Dmitry I. Nechaev ◽  
Vladimir V. Popov ◽  
Alexander Ya. Supin
Keyword(s):  
Delphinapterus Leucas ◽  
Okhotsk Sea ◽  
Beluga Whales

Teeth as biomonitors of selenium concentrations in tissues of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas)

2008 ◽  
Vol 402 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
April Kinghorn ◽  
Murray M. Humphries ◽  
Peter Outridge ◽  
Hing Man Chan
Keyword(s):  
Delphinapterus Leucas ◽  
Beluga Whales

Vitamin A and E profiles as biomarkers of PCB exposure in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the western Canadian Arctic

2013 ◽  
Vol 142-143 ◽  
pp. 317-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Pierre W. Desforges ◽  
Peter S. Ross ◽  
Neil Dangerfield ◽  
Vince P. Palace ◽  
Michael Whiticar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Canadian Arctic ◽  
Delphinapterus Leucas ◽  
Beluga Whales ◽  
Pcb Exposure

scholarly journals A probe-based qRT-PCR method to profile immunological gene expression in blood of captive beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas)

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming-An Tsai ◽  
I-Hua Chen ◽  
Jiann-Hsiung Wang ◽  
Shih-Jen Chou ◽  
Tsung-Hsien Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Reference Genes ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Delphinapterus Leucas ◽  
Amplification Efficiency ◽  
Beluga Whales ◽  
Qrt Pcr

Cytokines are fundamental for a functioning immune system, and thus potentially serve as important indicators of animal health. Quantitation of mRNA using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is an established immunological technique. It is particularly suitable for detecting the expression of proteins against which monoclonal antibodies are not available. In this study, we developed a probe-based quantitative gene expression assay for immunological assessment of captive beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) that is one of the most common cetacean species on display in aquariums worldwide. Six immunologically relevant genes (IL-2Rα, -4, -10, -12, TNFα, and IFNγ) were selected for analysis, and two validated housekeeping genes (PGK1 and RPL4) with stable expression were used as reference genes. Sixteen blood samples were obtained from four animals with different health conditions and stored in RNAlater™ solution. These samples were used for RNA extraction followed by qRT-PCR analysis. Analysis of gene transcripts was performed by relative quantitation using the comparative Cq method with the integration of amplification efficiency and two reference genes. The expression levels of each gene in the samples from clinically healthy animals were normally distributed. Transcript outliers for IL-2Rα, IL-4, IL-12, TNFα, and IFNγ were noticed in four samples collected from two clinically unhealthy animals. This assay has the potential to identify immune system deviation from normal state, which is caused by health problems. Furthermore, knowing the immune status of captive cetaceans could help both trainers and veterinarians in implementing preventive approaches prior to disease onset.

scholarly journals Hematology and Plasma Chemistry as Indicators of Health and Ecological Status In Beluga Whales, Delphinapterus Leucas

ARCTIC ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
D.J. St. Aubin ◽  
S. Deguise ◽  
P.R. Richard ◽  
T.G. Smith ◽  
J.R. Geraci
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Status ◽  
Plasma Chemistry ◽  
Delphinapterus Leucas ◽  
Beluga Whales
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