Distribution, movements, and habitat use of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus) on the Scotian Shelf

摘要: The Scotian Shelf population of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus) is listed as Endangered under Canada’s Species at Risk Act. Partial critical habitat was identified for this population in the Recovery Strategy first published in 2010, and three critical habitat areas located along the eastern Scotian Shelf, encompassing the Gully, Shortland Canyon, and Haldimand Canyon, have been designated. In this report, we used several sources of data to examine the distribution, movements and habitat use of northern bottlenose whales within and between designated critical habitat areas. Year-round passive acoustic monitoring conducted with bottom-mounted recorders at two inter-canyon sites revealed the presence and foraging activity of northern bottlenose whales in these areas throughout much of the year, with a seasonal peak in acoustic detections during the spring. Visual sighting records and …