Ecologically and biologically significant areas for grey whales in Canada.
Erin Foster, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Thomas Doniol-Valcroze, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Linda Nichol, Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Summary
We are using grey whale surveys and environmental variables from the West Coast Trail area of Vancouver Island to examine the importance of this area to members of the PCFG. We are using photo identification to examine site-fidelity of individuals to this area, and how habitat-use and fidelity of individual PCFG members has changed over the past two and a half decades.
Contact Info
01-250-202-7058
Investigating foraging niches of PCFG individuals using stable isotopes
Erin Foster, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Thomas Doniol-Valcroze, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Linda Nichol, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Summary
We are using stable isotopes to examine foraging plasticity among Pacific grey whale groups. We are also investigating differences in foraging plasticity within and among Pacific Coast Feeding Group individuals over time.
Contact info
01-250-202-7058
Research techniques testing and validation: using barnacle morphology and whale attributes to identify PCFG calves
Jonathan Scordino , Makah Tribe
Leigh Torres, Oregon State University (OSU)
Lisa Hildebrand, OSU
John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research Collective (CRC)
Alie Perez, CRC
Summary
This research techniques study will evaluate the applicability of the Bradford et al. (2011) methodology, developed for western gray whales in Russia, to determine if a PCFG gray whale is a calf or not. We plan to determine what additional attributes may improve the accuracy of the Bradford et al. method and whether the method can be used for the entire PCFG research season from June through November.
Contact info
Email: jonathan.scordino@makah.com
Phone: (360) 640-0959
PCFG gray whale body condition assessment, 2014-2021
Jonathan Scordino and Adrianne Akmajian, Makah Tribe
Summary
We plan to analyze the body condition of PCFG gray whales by analyzing boat-based photographs of the head, scapula, and lateral flank region of whales using an approach developed by Bradford et al. (2012). Our goal is to spatially and temporally expand on the study by Akmajian et al. (in press) of PCFG gray whales by including photographs of whales throughout the PCFG range and to include photographs of whales from 2014-2021 to evaluate the effect of recent stressors.
Contact info
Email: jonathan.scordino@makah.com
Phone: (360) 640-0959
Investigating the role of non-calf ENP whales in the population dynamics of the PCFG
Lisa Hildebrand, GEMM Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University
Leigh Torres, GEMM Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University
Summary
We will assess patterns and environmental drivers of non-calf ENP gray whale observations in the PCFG range. This analysis also aims to evaluate the role of adult immigration of ENP whales in PCFG population dynamics.
Contact Info
Lisa.hildebrand@oregonstate.edu
Expansion of a new body index measurement for gray whales to assess fluctuations in health
Kira Telford, Masters student at the University of South Carolina
Summary
Expanding the use of a new gray whale health assessment to the PCFG population to determine fluctuations in health between individuals, between years, and within a season. This will allow for further exploration of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the health of the population.
Contact Info
Pilot project to explore epigenetic differences between gray whale feeding grounds
Aimée Lang, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries
Summary
Geographic differences in DNA methylation patterns have been found in other species and correlated with environmental and/or life history parameters. Here we propose to conduct a pilot project to evaluate whether differences in methylation patterns exist among whales feeding in different regions of the North Pacific.
Contact info
Using epigenetic aging to inform understanding of internal recruitment into the PCFG
Aimée Lang, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries
Summary
We are currently conducting an assessment of internal recruitment into the Pacific Coast Feeding Group aimed at identifying parent-offspring pairs among sampled whales. Here we propose to develop an epigenetic aging assay for gray whales that will allow us to discriminate between parent and offspring within each pair.
Contact Info
Aimee.Lang@noaa.gov
A photo-ID analysis of Pacific Coast Feeding Group gray whales on winter breeding grounds
Anna Blanchard, University of Exeter, Cascadia Research Collective, Laguna San Ignacio Ecosystem Science Program
Summary
We will use Flukebook to compare the LSIESP collection of images of mothers with calves in Laguna San Ignacio to Cascadia Research Collection’s catalog of known PCFG whales, then compare the calves these mothers were sighted with to the same CRC catalog to determine whether these calves became members of the PCFG themselves. We will analyze coordinate data to determine the degree to which PCFG whales associate with each other, and the dates of their arrival and departure in Laguna San Ignacio to compare the timing of their presence here compared to the ENP, as well as re-sighting rates.
Contact Info
Assessing the Population Consequences of Disturbance (PCoD) for PCFG gray whales
Leigh Torres, GEMM Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University
Enrico Pirotta, University of St Andrews
Summary
Using seven years of data on PCFG gray whale ecology (e.g., behavior, distribution, prey and environmental conditions) and physiology (e.g., body condition, fecal hormone), we are developing a Population Consequences of Disturbance (PCoD) model for PCFG gray whales. This PCoD model will integrate these data to better understand how stressors and health affect the vital rates (survival, reproductive capacity) of the PCFG population.
Contact Info
leigh.torres@oregonstate.edu, pirotta.enrico@gmail.com
A DNA Register for PCFG Gray Whales
Daniel Palacios, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University
Scott Baker, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University
Debbie Steel, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University
Summary
The goal of this project is to construct genetic profiles for PCFG gray whales for which we have archived skin samples, with the goal of helping refine our understanding of the genetic and genomic composition of this subpopulation. The samples come from 25 PCFG gray whales tagged and biopsied between 2009 and 2013 by Oregon State University. Our hope is that this “DNA Register” for the PCFG gray whale will continue to grow in the future with sample contributions from other researchers and become a valuable resource for the community.
Contact Info
daniel.palacios@oregonstate.edu
Chemical contaminant assessment of UME gray whales
Kia Hayes, NWFSC, NOAA affiliate
Irv Schultz, NWFSC, NOAA
John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research Collective (CRC)
Alaska Veterinary Pathology services (AVPS)
Summary
We are analyzing chemical contaminant concentrations (i.e. persistent organic pollutants) in blubber of gray whales along the west coast during UME and comparison years.
Contact Info
Kia.Hayes@NOAA.gov
