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
