“Popular” and “fun” are not necessarily synonymous. Besides humans, main predators of bowhead whales are killer whales. Some Alaska Native whalers have even reported whales surfacing through 2 feet of ice. Internet Explorer lacks support for the features of this website. Surprisingly, their only natural predator is the killer whale (Orcinus orca), who also lives year-round in the Bering Sea and travel throughout the Pacific Ocean. Today, native communities in both the U.S. and Russia hunt bowheads for … [41], In March 2008, Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans stated the previous estimates in the eastern Arctic had undercounted, with a new estimate of 14,400 animals (range 4,800–43,000). Major predators of bowhead whales are killer whales and humans, with differences by area. [50] Larger portions of the bay are used for summering, while wintering is on smaller scale where some animals winter in Hudson Strait most notably north of Igloolik Island and northeastern Hudson Bay. The authorization of the bowhead whale subsistence harvest quota includes the following bowhead catch limits, which were approved at the 2018 IWC meeting. From 2019 through 2025, the number of bowhead whales landed shall not exceed 392 total. By 1849, 50 ships were hunting bowheads in each area; in the Bering Strait, 500 whales were killed that year, and that number jumped to more than 2000 in 1850. We work with volunteer networks in all coastal states to respond to marine mammal strandings including large whales. Although the cause often remains unknown, scientists can sometimes identify strandings due to disease, harmful algal blooms, vessel strikes, fishing gear entanglements, pollution exposure, predation, and underwater noise. However, the numbers have been increasing in recent years.[46]. [59] Scientific research on this population was seldom done before 2009, when researchers studying belugas noticed concentrations of bowheads in the study area. They lack a dorsal fin. Researching bowhead whale population structure. Isabella Bay in Niginganiq National Wildlife Area is the first wildlife sanctuary in the world to be designed specially for bowhead whales. An unknown number of whales die from entanglement, as some entanglements likely go undetected. Ocean noise, A 2011 study estimated that the Western Arctic population was 16,892 (95% CI: 15,074-18,928), more than triple the population estimate in 1978. Proponents of any activity that will have unavoidable impacts on bowheads must also obtain MMPA incidental take authorization from NOAA.Â, Review biological opinions requiring project modifications to minimize impacts on bowheads. [15] The bowhead is not thought to be a deep diver, but can reach a depth down to 500 ft (150 m). You may also contact your closest NOAA Office of Law Enforcement field during regular business hours. Bowheads accumulate these contaminants because of their long lifespan, position at the top of the food chain, and large blubber stores. Bowhead Whale Predators and Prey What Threatens the Bowhead Whale? are trained to receive reports and respond when necessary. Listen to hear even more incredible facts about this unique ocean mammal. "Behavior". Photo: NOAA Fisheries/Amelia Brower. Other common names of the species are the Greenland right whale or Arctic whale. An unknown species of right whale, the so-called "Swedenborg whale", which was proposed by Emanuel Swedenborg in the 18th century, was once thought to be a North Atlantic right whale by scientific consensus. Humans are the greatest threat to Bowhead Whales. In Burns, J. J.; Montague, J. J.; and Cowles, C. J. Lowry, L. F. (1993). [16] Unlike most cetaceans, the bowhead does not have a dorsal fin - an adaptation for spending much time under sea-surface ice.[17]. Section II: The Bowhead Ecosystem 25. [citation needed] Cow – calf pairs and juveniles up to 13.5 m (44 ft) in length consist of majority of summering aggregation in northern Foxe Basin, while matured males and noncalving females may use the northwestern part of Hudson Bay. Climate change, These Mysterious Whales Are the Jazz Musicians Of the Sea. However, new techniques allow for more precise estimation of bowhead whale age, and studies suggest they may live to be over 200 years old. These mutations enable bowhead whales to better repair DNA damage, allowing for greater resistance to cancer. Thus, bowheads in the Sea of Okhotsk were once called "forgotten whales" by researchers. [60][61] Several companies provide whale-watching services, which are mostly land-based. Sound is critical to the survival of bowhead whales. During periods of feeding, the average swim speed is increased to 1.1–2.5 m/s (3.6–8.2 ft/s) [3.96–9 km/h (2.46–5.59 mph)]. Current status of population structure of this stock is unclear, whether they are remnant of the historic Svalbard group, recolonized individuals from other stocks, or if a mixing of these two or more stocks had taken place. It is able to dive and remain submerged under water for up to an hour. The Physical Oceanographic Setting of Bowhead Whale Habitat 26. Breeding season is observed from March through August; conception is believed to occur primarily in March when song activity is at its highest. Bowhead whale populations are exposed to a variety of human-caused stressors and threats, including: pollution (e.g., spilled oil, heavy metals, chemicals, debris), vessel strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, climate change, ocean acidification that can affect their prey, and noise pollution that may affect their feeding, navigation, communication, and ability to detect and avoid predators. Educating the public about bowheads and the threats they face. Eventually, it was recognized that bowheads and right whales were different, but there was still no strong consensus as to whether they shared a single genus or two. Noise from seismic exploration for petroleum reserves was found to drive bowheads from waters within about 12 miles of the sound source, although avoidance behavior is likely related to the activity that the bowhead is engaged in at the time of exposure. In 1972, the IWC asked the United States to gather data on aboriginal subsistence whaling. Bowhead whales have a dark body with a distinctive white chin and, unlike most cetaceans, do not have a dorsal fin. Biological Environment of Bowhead Whale Habitats 27. In Burns, J. J.; Montague, J. J.; and Cowles, C. J. Bowheads originally crossed ice-covered inlets and straits to exchange genes between Atlantic and Pacific populations. Monitoring population abundance and distribution. 4. They rely on keen hearing abilities to detect, recognize, and localize biologically important sounds for navigation, predator avoidance, foraging, and communication in the marine environment. Like other Arctic whales, narwhal and beluga, bowhead … to make sure professional responders and scientists know about it and can take appropriate action. Bowhead whales are now hunted on a subsistence level by native peoples of North America. Diet and Prey 29. Its baleen is the longest of that of any whale, at 3 m (9.8 ft), and is used to strain tiny prey from the water. Bowheads have extremely large heads and stocky bodies. Bowhead populations seem to be recovering well in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, but recovery has been slower in the Baffin Island, Greenland and Spitsbergen regions, where whaling was more intensive and carried on over a longer period. Possibly, vagrants from this population occasionally reach into Asian nations such as off Japan or the Korean Peninsula (although this record might be of a right whale[63]). The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is also investigating the use of tags that record oceanographic information to identify ocean features, such as fronts where whales prefer to feed, and are developing an acoustic tag that will record ambient sound and the vocal behavior of the whales to better understand the effects of high noise level activities. Nefedova T., Gavrilo M., Gorshkov S., 2013. Amid the thick, omnipresent arctic pack ice, the only predator they encounter — aside from humans — is the killer whale. Killer whales are the only predator of bowhead whales and are increasingly present in the Arctic. Bowhead whales. Most calves are born between April and early June during spring migration. The bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) is a species of baleen whale belonging to the family Balaenidae and the only living representative of the genus Balaena. Contaminants, Scientists use these scars to identify individual whales. 2019 Aerial Surveys of Arctic Marine Mammals - Post 4, 2019 Aerial Surveys of Arctic Marine Mammals - Post 3, 2019 Aerial Surveys of Arctic Marine Mammals - Post 2, Biological Opinion on the Issuance of a Letter of Authorization under the MMPA to Hilcorp Alaska, LLC and Eni U.S. Operating Co. Inc. for the Construction, Maintenance, and Use of Sea Ice Roads and Trails on the North Slope, Beaufort Sea, AK, 2020 to 2025, Biological Opinion Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Coastal Plain Lease Sale, Biological Opinion Liberty Oil and Gas Development and Production Plan Activities, Beaufort Sea, Alaska, Alaska Endangered Species and Critical Habitat Mapper Web Application, Acoustic Studies Sound Board of Marine Mammals in Alaska, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, Report a Stranded or Injured Marine Animal, Learn more about our conservation efforts, cooperative agreement between NOAA and the AEWC, Environmental Impact Statement for issuing annual catch limits to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, technical guidance for assessing the effects of anthropogenic (human-caused) sound on marine mammal hearing, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of 1973 (CITES), Final Environmental Impact Statement for Issuing Annual Catch Limits to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission for a Subsistence Hunt on Bowhead Whales, Notice of Availability FEIS (83 FR 57726, 11/16/2018), Notice of Availability DEIS (83 FR 27756, 06/14/2018), Notice of intent to prepare an EIS (82 FR 38671, 08/15/2017), Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling Quota for Bowhead Whales 2018-2013, Final Environmental Impact Statement for the years 2013 through 2018, Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement on Issuing Annual Quotas to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, Notice of Availability of Final EIS (78 FR 4143, 01/18/2013), Extension of Comment Period on Draft EIS (77 FR 49792, 08/16/2012), Notice of Availability of Draft EIS (77 FR 35961, 06/15/2012), Notice of Intent to prepare EIS (76 FR 58781, 09/22/2011), Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling Quota for Bowhead Whales 2008-2012, Final Environmental Impact Statement for the years 2008 through 2012, Incidental Take Authorization: Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Construction in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, Marine Mammal Monitoring and Mitigation Plan (pdf, 40 pages), Environmental Impact Statement (External link), Public Comments, Initial Comment Period (pdf, 127 pages), Public Comments, Reopened Comment Period (pdf, 11 pages), Incidental Take Authorization: Hilcorp Alaska Construction and Operation of the Liberty Drilling and Production Island in Foggy Island Bay, Beaufort, Marine Mammal Monitoring and Mitigation Plan (pdf, 42 pages), Wildlife Action Plan Sections Related to NMFS Action (pdf, 24 pages), Incidental Take Authorization: BP Exploration Northstar Oil and Gas Facility Operation in Beaufort Sea, Environmental Assessment (pdf, 177 pages), Incidental Take Authorization: NOAA Fisheries AFSC Fisheries and Ecosystem Research Activities in Pacific and Arctic Oceans, Notice of Receipt of LOA Application (82 FR 43223, 09/14/2017), LOA Application Appendices (pdf, 185 pages), Public Comments Received on Proposed Rule (pdf, 10 pages), Public Comments on Notice of Receipt of LOA Application (pdf, 9 pages), Marine Mammal Stranding Program (Stranding Hotline: 877-925-7773), Buying or Finding Marine Mammal Parts and Products, Marine Mammal Viewing Guidelines and Regulations. SAVING THE BOWHEAD WHALE. [67], The most endangered but historically largest of all bowhead populations is the Svalbard/Spitsbergen population. [20] On average, female bowheads are larger than males. The global population is assessed as of least concern.[3][8]. Surveys typically occur during the spring, summer, and fall months when weather is conducive to visual surveys and the whales are found on the continental shelf (0-200 m depth). This also prevents buckling or breakage of the plates from the pressure of the water passing through them as the whale advances. Authorities have repeatedly recategorized the three populations of right whale plus the bowhead whale, as one, two, three or four species, either in a single genus or in two separate genera. This organ is thought to provide a mechanism of cooling for the whale (which is normally protected from the cold Arctic waters by 40 cm (16 in) or more of fat). When stranded animals are found alive, NOAA Fisheries and our partners assess the animal’s health. A once-rare event, killer whales are now seen more frequently. Whaling and climatic cooling during the Little Ice Age, from the 16th century to the 19th, is supposed to have reduced the whales' summer habitats, which explains the loss of genetic diversity. The worldwide number of bowheads prior to commercial exploitation is estimated at a minimum of 50,000, including an estimated 10,400 to 23,000 whales in the Western Arctic stock, the stock found in U.S. waters. [7], The bowhead was an early whaling target. A group of bowhead whales off the coast of Alaska. Determining the number of bowhead whales in each population—and whether a stock is increasing or decreasing over time—helps resource managers assess the success of conservation measures and the need for additional measures. Learn more about aerial surveys of arctic marine mammals, Acoustic ecology is the study of how animals use, and are influenced by, sounds in their environment. For many Alaska Native communities, subsistence harvest of bowheads is the most important hunting activity of the year, both in terms of the amount of food obtained and the cultural significance of the hunt itself. By 1719, they had reached the Davis Strait, and by the first quarter of the 19th century, Baffin Bay. Can its genes tell us why? (2012). Commercial whaling for bowheads off Alaska began in the mid-1700s, and lasted until the early-1900s. The bowhead whale is the only baleen whale found year round in the Arctic. However, the smaller Okhotsk Sea population, more heavily exploited in the past, remains at a dangerously low population of only a few hundred individuals. [92], The bowhead is listed in Appendix I by CITES. The ESCA ended commercial whaling in the United States. The relationship is shown in the cladogram below: The earlier fossil record shows no related cetacean after Morenocetus, found in a South American deposit dating back 23 million years. With thousands more domesticated and wild animal lists planned, our goal is to become the most comprehensive and thoroughly researched animal resource on the planet. [41], The Western Arctic bowhead population, also known as the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort population, has recovered since the commercial harvest of this stock ceased in the early 1900s. Observe all small whales from a safe distance of at least 100 yards by sea or land. Our scientists, along with scientists from other entities, collect stock information that we present in annual stock assessment reports. It is the only baleen whale endemic to the Arctic and subarctic waters, and is named after its characteristic massive triangular skull, which it uses to break through Arctic ice.

Bowhead Whales mature sexually at about 10 to 15 years of age. [88], Commercial whaling, the principal cause of the population decline, is over. The most recent stock assessment report abundance data for the Western Arctic bowhead stock, collected during spring 2011, indicates there are over 16,000 Western Arctic bowheads. Only those whaling captains registered with the AEWC, along with their crew, may participate in subsistence harvest of bowhead whales. Aside from humans, the bowhead's only other predator is the killer whale. Listen to the complex, variable songs created by the bowhead whale, a little-studied denizen of Arctic waters. Based on the recovery of stone harpoon tips from harvested bowheads, it is evident that bowhead whales live well over 100 years. These projectiles may result in fewer struck and lost whales, and shorten the time between the initial strike and death. The time spent under water in a single dive is usually limited to 9–18 minutes. Vessel strikes can injure or kill bowhead whales. "Commercial Whaling in the North Pacific Sector". Mating behavior has been observed year-round, though most conceptions are believed to occur during late winter or spring. [15] It also possesses a strongly bowed lower jaw and a narrow upper jaw. Bowhead whales are one of the few whale species that reside almost exclusively in Arctic and subarctic waters experiencing seasonal sea ice coverage, primarily between 60° and 75° north latitude. During 2019, 36 whales were struck, 30 of which were landed. Subsistence landings in Alaska have averaged about 45 bowhead whales per year since 2011. [89], Bowheads were first taken along the pack ice in the northeastern Sea of Okhotsk, then in Tausk Bay and Northeast Gulf (Shelikhov Gulf). The ecology and population sizes of Arctic killer whales are poorly understood, but targeted research documenting the behavior and demography of these animals and their predatory impact on Arctic endemic marine mammals, including bowhead whales… For instance, feeding whales may be more reluctant to abandon food concentrations due to noise. All stocks are managed under the international authority of the, Co-management of bowhead whales is accomplished through. In the Western Arctic, they mainly caught them in the Anadyr Gulf, the Bering Strait, and around St. Lawrence Island. Contaminants enter ocean waters from municipal wastewater discharges, runoff, accidental spills, atmospheric deposition of airborne contaminants, discharges from commercial operations such as fishing, shipping, and oil and gas development, and other sources. [25] While foraging, bowheads are solitary or occur in groups of two to 10 or more. This research is especially important in rebuilding endangered populations. Researchers are also developing better techniques to map the underwater acoustic environment and detect, classify, localize, and track individuals using satellite tags, autonomous gliders and passive acoustic arrays.Â. [36] The Alaskan population spends the winter months in the southwestern Bering Sea. Genetic, aerial survey, and tagging data suggests that bowheads from western Greenland (Hudson Bay and Foxe Basin) and eastern Canada (Baffin Bay and Davis Strait) should be considered one stock that may number more than a thousand individuals. For instance, feeding whales may be more reluctant to abandon food concentrations due to noise. The Hudson Bay – Foxe Basin population is distinct from the Baffin Bay – Davis Strait group. Moulting behaviours had never or seldom been documented for this species before. In Burns, J. J.; Montague, J. J.; and Cowles, C. J. Haldiman, J. T. and R. J. Tarpley (1993). [50] Whaling grounds in 19th century covered from Marble Island to Roes Welcome Sound and to The bowhead whale has paired blowholes, at the highest point of the head, which can spout a blow 6.1 m (20 ft) high. One bowhead whale sighted in a feeding aggregation approximately 15 km north of the mouth of Smith Bay, Alaska (event 116), North Slope Borough Autumn Aerial Surveys Flight 1, 17 September 2020. The United States listed all bowhead whales as endangered under the Endangered Species Conservation Act in 1970 and the Endangered Species Act in 1973. [16], Bowhead whales are highly vocal[26] and use low frequency (<1000 Hz) sounds to communicate while travelling, feeding, and socialising. Bowhead whales use these plates to filter water for food, like zooplankton, krill and small fish. The Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission co-manages the bowhead subsistence harvest with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Photo: North Slope Borough/Vicki Beaver. Bowhead whales often accumulate scars on their bodies from breaking ice, killer whale encounters, entanglement in fishing gear, and propellers. [20] Lactation typically lasts about a year. This act allows whaling by aboriginal peoples to the extent it does not conflict with the ICRW. [56][57][58], Congregation within Foxe Basin occurs in a well-defined area at 3,700 km (2,300 mi) north of Igloolik Island to Fury and Hecla Strait and Jens Munk Island and Gifford Fiord, and into Gulf of Boothia and Prince Regent Inlet. In Burns, J. J.; Montague, J. J.; and Cowles, C. J. Woodby, D. A. and D. B. Botkin (1993). The bulbous ridge of highly vascularized tissue, the corpus cavernosum maxillaris, extends along the centre of the hard plate, forming two large lobes at the rostral palate. Philo, L. M., E. B. Shotts, and J. C. George (1993). In 2015, scientists from the US and UK were able to successfully map the whale's genome. [70] Also, bowheads in this stock were possibly once abundant in areas adjacent to the White Sea region, where few or no animals currently migrate, such as the Kola and Kanin Peninsula. Of all large whales, the bowhead is the most adapted to life in icy water. Distribution and Habitat. PCNA is also important in DNA repair.

(A) The 2015 bowhead calf carcass that provided the first evidence of killer whale predation on a bowhead whale in the U.S. Pacific Arctic. These pollutants may harm bowheads’ immune and reproductive systems. [50], Not much is known about the endangered Sea of Okhotsk population. "Morbidity and Mortality." They later spread to the western Beaufort Sea (1854) and the Mackenzie River delta (1889). [28] In May 2007, a 15 m (49 ft) specimen caught off the Alaskan coast was discovered with the 3.5 in (89 mm) head of an explosive harpoon of a model manufactured between 1879 and 1885, so the whale was probably harpooned sometime between those years, and its age at the time of death was estimated at between 115 and 130 years. Commercial whaling severely reduced bowhead whale numbers from historical levels. The purposes of this agreement are to “protect the bowhead whale and the Eskimo culture, to promote scientific investigation of the bowhead whale, and to effectuate the other purposes of the MMPA, the Whaling Convention Act, and the ESA as these acts relate to aboriginal subsistence whaling.” As part of this co-management agreement, the AEWC is responsible for enforcing the legal harvesting of bowhead whales, reporting on all strikes and landings of bowhead whales, and providing data on each whale landed. Lay, Wainwright, , an unusual mortality event (UME) is defined as "a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response.". [23] From 2010 through to 2014, near Greenland, 184 distinct songs were recorded from a population of around 300 animals. Mostly, distribution within Hudson Bay is restricted in northwestern part[47] along with Wager Bay,[51] Repulse Bay,[52] Southampton Island (one of two main know summering areas),[52][53] Frozen Strait, northern Foxe A greater number of cells present in an organism was once believed to result in greater chances of mutations that cause age-related diseases and cancer. The overall distribution of bowhead whales … This has implications for communication, which in turn may affect migratory or feeding behavior. [39] Distributions of Balaena spp. They even help drive a tourism industry of whale-watching worth more than $2 billion globally. Majority of babies is … Transient killer whales are known to prey on bowhead whales.  Scars consistent with killer whale attacks were found on ~8% of subsistence hunted whales, and rates have increased each decade. An estimated 18,000 bowheads were killed in the Sea of Okhotsk during 1847–1867, 80% in the first decade. Underwater noise may threaten bowhead whales by interrupting their normal behavior and driving them away from areas important to their survival.  Noise from seismic exploration for petroleum reserves was found to drive bowheads from waters within about 12 miles of the sound source, although avoidance behavior is likely related to the activity that the bowhead is engaged in at the time of exposure. This area is an important habitat for whales that were observed to be relatively active and to interact with humans positively, or to rest on sea floors. Predation. This conclusion was derived from analyzing maternal lineage using mitochondrial DNA. [82] The quota has remained at 67 strikes per year since 1998 and represents about 0.5 percent of BCB population. They also study how bowhead whales interact with oil and gas exploration, extraction, and transportation activities. To understand the health of marine mammal populations, scientists study unusual mortality events. The bowhead whale is the only baleen whale to spend its entire life in the Arctic and subarctic waters. [94], The bowhead whale is listed in Appendix I[95] of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), as this species has been categorized as being in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant proportion of its range. Learn more about our marine life viewing guidelines >. (B) Bowhead whale habitat selection surfaces for distance to shoreline as killer whales move closer. This discovery showed the longevity of the bowhead whale is much greater than originally thought. Although direct measurements of hearing ability in baleen whales are lacking, scientists predict, based on anatomy and vocalizations of other closely related whales, that bowheads hear best at low-frequencies. Like the right whale, it swims slowly, and floats after death, making it ideal for whaling. [85], Commercial bowhead whaling began in the 16th century when the Basques killed them as they migrated south through the Strait of Belle Isle in the fall and early winter. Their large heads makes up one third of their body length and are encased by a thick layer of blubber. This bowhead quota is allocated by the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission among eleven Alaska Native communities that traditionally hunt bowhead whales and comprise the AEWC (Gambell, Savoonga, Wales, Little Diomede, Kivalina, Point Hope, Pt. Bowhead whale populations are exposed to a variety of human-caused stressors and threats, including: pollution (e.g., spilled oil, heavy metals, chemicals, debris), vessel strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, climate change, ocean acidification that can affect their prey, and noise pollution that may affect their feeding, navigation, communication, and ability to detect and avoid predators. With slow-moving fat-rich marine mammals – like bowhead whales, belugas and narwhal – available in large numbers during the ice-free season, food … The results of this research are used to inform management decisions and enhance recovery efforts for this endangered species. During 1858–1860, the ships shifted back to the Bering Strait region, where the majority of the fleet cruised during the summer until the early 20th century. Gentle giants of the sea, bowhead whales live in the coldest, most remote reaches of the world's oceans. Scientists use small aircraft to observe bowhead whales to record their numbers, behavior, and distribution, and to collect photo-identification data. By comparing data across years, scientists can look for trends, such as whether the population is increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable during a given time period.