Wednesday 19 Oct 2011 @ 14:56
WiredGov Newswire (news from other organisations)
WiredGov Newswire (news from other organisations)
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WWF Narwhal project will help chart species’ movements
WWF today released video footage highlighting our support of a new project to track narwhals, a species of Arctic whale best known for their long 'unicorn-like' tusk.
The project fitted seven of the little-researched whales with satellite tracking devices. In order to help highlight the programme's findings, WWF has launched a web page to showcase the partnership's fieldwork and research, with maps and information about the latest movements of the narwhals as they move around Baffin Bay in Canada’s Nunavut territory.
The project brings together the expertise of a variety of partners including the local Inuit community of Pond Inlet, the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, the Canadian Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), the Narwhal Tusk Research project centred at Harvard University, the Vancouver Aquarium and the Calgary Zoo.
Pete Ewins, Arctic species specialist for WWF-Canada, said that it is expected the project will contribute fascinating information about the habits of narwhals.
“We’re supporting this project because it is a chance to better understand these animals while their world changes around them. We know Narwhals are often associated with sea ice, and we know the sea ice is shrinking."
"WWF is trying to understand how narwhals, as well as all other ice associated animals in the arctic can adapt to a changing environment. By putting this knowledge together with existing Inuit knowledge, we can work with Inuit and other stakeholders to try to help these animals survive the coming changes.”
The composite maps displayed on the WWF narwhal tracking page show the total paths taken to date by the seven whales being tracked (most of whom were adult females). Having spent much of the past 10-12 weeks in the fjords and inlets around northern Baffin Island, often probably heading well up these long inlets to escape the increasing number of killer whales now summering in these waters, these narwhals are starting to move out of the area.
Although rapid changes in climatic conditions have been making it increasingly difficult to predict the timing of sea-ice formation in the fall, it is likely that in the next couple of weeks sea-ice will start appearing along the coast and in shallow waters. As temperatures drop regularly well below zero, so the narwhals will steadily move eastwards and into deeper water.
The narwhal tracker can be viewed at: http://www.panda.org/arctic/narwhaltracker.
If you would like copies of images or videos, or for further information, please contact:
Jo Sargent
Senior Media Relations Manager
WWF-UK
01483 412 375
07867 697 519
NOTES:
WWF is one of the world's largest independent conservation organisations, with more than five million supporters and a global network active in more than one hundred countries. We're working to create solutions to the most serious environmental issues facing our planet, so that people and nature can thrive. Through our engagement with the public, businesses and government, we focus on safeguarding the natural world, tacking climate change and changing the way we live.
In 2011, WWF's 50th anniversary year, we are celebrating what we have achieved so far together, and are positive about tackling the challenges of the future. Find out more about our work, past and present at www.wwf.org.uk
