Rare sightings of white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) off south-eastern Baffin Island, Canada

We report two opportunistic and unusual observations of white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) in the Canadian Arctic that are outside the known range of this species. Sightings occurred off the south-east coast of Baffin Island (Nunavut, Canada) in Frobisher Bay (September 2004) and Cum...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMarine biodiversity records Vol. 7
Main Authors Reinhart, N.R., Fortune, S.M.E., Richard, P.R., Matthews, C.J.D.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 2014
Subjects
Biogeography
Dolphins & porpoises
Habitats
Marine biology
Baffin Island
distribution
western North Atlantic
white-beaked dolphins
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Summary:We report two opportunistic and unusual observations of white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) in the Canadian Arctic that are outside the known range of this species. Sightings occurred off the south-east coast of Baffin Island (Nunavut, Canada) in Frobisher Bay (September 2004) and Cumberland Sound (August 2013). Despite dedicated, multi-year marine mammal surveys in the region (boat-based and aerial), white-beaked dolphins have not previously been reported in the eastern Davis Strait. Our sightings suggest that white-beaked dolphins may infrequently inhabit coastal waters off south-eastern Baffin Island, and furthermore, that their habitat use may correspond with recent changes in prey distribution and availability.
ISSN:1755-2672
1755-2672
DOI:10.1017/S1755267214001031