Dear colleagues,
On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our new publication in the open access journal Geophysical Research Letters:
Szesciorka, A.R., Stafford, K. M., Berchok, C. L. (2024). Basin-wide shift in bowhead whale migration in the Pacific Arctic. Geophysical Research Letters, 51, e2023GL106416.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106416
The paper is available here:
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023GL106416
Abstract: In a rapidly changing Arctic, multiple lines of evidence suggest that bowhead whale migration is changing. To explore these changes further, we used passive acoustic data to examine bowhead whale presence in the western Beaufort Sea (12 years) and
Chukchi Plateau (11 years) spanning 2008 to 2022. Departure from the western Beaufort Sea shifted 45 days later over the 12-year period. Summer presence increased at both sites, suggesting feeding areas within the Chukchi Sea are becoming more favorable. Likewise,
findings from the Bering Strait suggest that some whales are remaining north of the Bering Strait for the winter instead of in the Bering Sea. These Pacific Arctic-wide changes to migration have occurred over only one decade. Questions remain about prey availability
in the Chukchi Sea, implications of migratory changes, such as a northward shift in the core overwintering area, and impact to communities south of the Bering Strait.
Please contact me if you have any questions or if you need a PDF copy.
Cheers,
Angie
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Angela Szesciorka, Ph.D.
Research Associate
Marine Mammal Institute