Occurrence, Distribution and Behaviour of Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) and Bowhead (Balaena mysticetus) Whales at the Franklin Bay Ice Edge in June 2008

Ice edges and polynyas have long been noted for their high biological productivity within the Arctic environment. In June 2008, an aggregation of belugas and bowheads was identified at the Franklin Bay ice edge in the eastern Beaufort Sea, adjacent to the Cape Bathurst polynya. We conducted five ice-edge surveys by helicopter to study the distribution and behaviour of the whales. Bowheads were sighted in significantly shallower water than belugas. In addition, we used the helicopter platform to observe behaviour. Belugas and bowheads were engaged in directed travel and diving near and under the ice. Five beluga dives were timed and found to have an average duration of 106 ± 61 s (± SD) and a range of 30 – 197 s. One bowhead under-ice dive was timed and had a duration of 417 s. The under-ice dives are consistent with feeding behaviour observed for belugas and bowheads in other ice-edge locations. We hypothesize that higher prey densities along the Franklin Bay ice edge than in the adjacent open water may attract belugas and bowheads to the ice edge in June. Further research is needed to identify the abundance and type of prey species consumed and to assess the relative energetic importance of spring ice-edge feeding to the eastern Beaufort Sea beluga and bowhead populations.Depuis longtemps, les lisières de glace et les polynies sont connues pour leur grande productivité biologique au sein de l’environnement arctique. En juin 2008, un groupement de bélugas et de baleines boréales a été repéré à la lisière de glace de la baie Franklin, dans l’est de la mer de Beaufort, lisière adjacente à la polynie du cap Bathurst. Au moyen d’hélicoptères, nous avons effectué cinq études de lisières de glace afin d’examiner la répartition des baleines de même que leur comportement. Les baleines boréales évoluaient dans des eaux beaucoup moins profondes que les bélugas. De plus, nous avons étudié le comportement des baleines à partir de la plateforme destinée aux hélicoptères. Les bélugas et les baleines boréales se déplaçaient de manière dirigée et plongeaient près de la glace et sous celle-ci. Les plongeons de bélugas ont été chronométrés, et leur durée moyenne s’établissait à 106 ± 61 s (± SD), avec une étendue de 30 – 197 s. Le plongeon sous glace d’une baleine boréale a duré 417 s. Les plongeons sous glace vont de pair avec le comportement alimentaire observé chez les bélugas et les baleines boréales d’autres emplacements en lisières de glace. Nous avançons l’hypothèse que la plus grande densité de proies le long de la lisière de glace de la baie Franklin comparativement aux eaux libres adjacentes peut attirer les bélugas et les baleines boréales à la lisière de glace en juin. Il faut pousser les recherches plus loin pour déterminer l’abondance et le type d’espècesproies consommées et pour évaluer l’importance énergétique relative de l’alimentation à la lisière de glace au printemps pour les populations de bélugas et de baleines boréales de l’est de la mer de Beaufort

Amount and patterns of beluga sightings in the eastern Beaufort Sea

An understanding of the adaptability of belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) to changing ice conditions is required to interpret and predict possible changes in habitat selection in response to projected loss of sea ice throughout the circumpolar Arctic. We analyzed beluga observations made during spring aerial surveys for ringed seals conducted from 1975 to 1979 in the eastern Beaufort Sea. Despite interannual variability in the extent and distribution of sea ice, belugas consistently selected areas with water depths of 200-500 m and heavy ice concentrations (8/10 to 10/10) while areas of open water to light ice concentrations (0/10 to 1/10) were not selected. Belugas were also found in proximity to regions with >0.5 degrees seafloor slope which include the continental slope and other areas with the potential for oceanographic upwellings. In most years (4 of 5), fast-ice edges and coastal areas were not selected. In the lightest ice year analyzed, belugas showed less specificity in habitat selection as their distribution expanded and shifted shoreward to fast-ice edges. The observed distribution is discussed in terms of predator-prey relationships particularly with reference to beluga feeding on polar cod (Boreogadus saida). More research is required to examine and compare possible changes in distribution since the late 1970s and to investigate the factors driving the patterns described

Narwhal (Monodon monoceros) sightings and population estimates for the Canadian High Arctic 2002-2004

Aerial surveys of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) were conducted in the Canadian High Arctic during the month of August from 2002 to 2004. The surveys covered the waters of Barrow Strait, Prince Regent Inlet, the Gulf of Boothia, Admiralty Inlet, Eclipse Sound, and the eastern coast of Baffin Island, using systematic sampling methods. Fiords were flown along a single transect down the middle. Near-surface population estimates increased by 1.9%-8.7% when corrected for perception bias. The estimates were further increased by a factor of approximately 3, to account for individuals not seen because they were diving when the survey plane flew over (availability bias). These corrections resulted in estimates of 27 656 (SE = 14 939) for the Prince Regent and Gulf of Boothia area, 20 225 (SE = 7285) for the Eclipse Sound area, and 10 073 (SE = 3123) for the East Baffin Island fiord area. The estimate for the Admiralty Inlet area was 5362 (SE = 2681) but is thought to be biased. Surveys could not be done in other known areas of occupation, such as the waters of the Cumberland Peninsula of East Baffin, and channels farther west of the areas surveyed (Peel Sound, Viscount Melville Sound, Smith Sound and Jones Sound, and other channels of the Canadian Arctic archipelago). Despite these probable biases and the incomplete coverage, results of these surveys show that the summering range of narwhals in the Canadian High Arctic is vast. If narwhals are philopatric to their summering areas, as they appear to be, the total population of that range could number more than 60 000 animals. The largest numbers are in the western portion of their summer range, around Somerset Island, and also in the Eclipse Sound area. However, these survey estimates have large variances due to narwhal aggregation in some parts of the surveyed areas

Correlates of protection against symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection

The global supply of COVID-19 vaccines remains limited. An understanding of the immune response that is predictive of protection could facilitate rapid licensure of new vaccines. Data from a randomized efficacy trial of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine in the United Kingdom was analyzed to determine the antibody levels associated with protection against SARS-CoV-2. Binding and neutralizing antibodies at 28 days after the second dose were measured in infected and noninfected vaccine recipients. Higher levels of all immune markers were correlated with a reduced risk of symptomatic infection. A vaccine efficacy of 80% against symptomatic infection with majority Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant of SARS-CoV-2 was achieved with 264 (95% CI: 108, 806) binding antibody units (BAU)/ml: and 506 (95% CI: 135, not computed (beyond data range) (NC)) BAU/ml for anti-spike and anti-RBD antibodies, and 26 (95% CI: NC, NC) international unit (IU)/ml and 247 (95% CI: 101, NC) normalized neutralization titers (NF50) for pseudovirus and live-virus neutralization, respectively. Immune markers were not correlated with asymptomatic infections at the 5% significance level. These data can be used to bridge to new populations using validated assays, and allow extrapolation of efficacy estimates to new COVID-19 vaccines