Photographic evidence of tagging impacts for two beluga whales from the Cumberland Sound and western Hudson Bay populations

Abstract

Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) movements, habitat use, and diving behavior have been studied using satellite-linked transmitters for decades. The inaccessibility of Arctic and subarctic habitats makes these instruments especially valuable for beluga research. The long-term effects that tags and tag attachments have on belugas, however, are not well known because resightings occur relatively infrequently. Here, we describe two belugas photographed during photographic monitoring programs of two populations: western Hudson Bay and Cumberland Sound. The beluga photographed in western Hudson Bay had scars consistent with the tag pins migrating out, which is thought to occur when the tag is pulled posteriorly due to drag. The beluga photographed in Cumberland Sound had all three tag pins still in place 11-21 years after they were inserted. Both whales appeared to be in good body condition with no evidence of infection, and the beluga from Cumberland Sound was accompanied by a one-year-old calf. Resightings of previously tagged whales are infrequent for the western Hudson Bay population and have never been documented in Cumberland Sound. However, through long-term photographic monitoring programs, additional sightings may provide more information regarding the method of tag loss and the long-term effects of tagging on whale health and productivity.