Stephen OkkonenUniversity of AlAskA fAirbAnks

Dixon Jones University of AlAskA fAirbAnks

Phil AlataloWoods Hole oceAnogrApHic institUtion

Carin Ashjian Woods Hole oceAnogrApHic institUtion

Mark Baumgartner Woods Hole oceAnogrApHic institUtion

Ronald Brower SrUniversity of AlAskA fAirbAnks

Jaclyn Clement-KinneynAvAl postgrAdUAte scHool

Robert G. CampbellUniversity of rHode islAnd

John CittaAlAskA depArtment of fisH And gAme

Craig GeorgenortH slope boroUgH dept. Wildlife

Kim GoetznAtionAl mArine mAmmAl lAborAtory

Lara Horstmann-DehnUniversity of AlAskA fAirbAnks

Wieslaw MaslowskinAvAl postgrAdUAte scHool

Julie MocklinnAtionAl mArine mAmmAl lAborAtory

Dave RughnAtionAl mArine mAmmAl lAborAtory

Lori QuakenbushAlAskA depArtment of fisH And gAme

Kate StaffordUniversity of WAsHington

Linda Vate BrattstromnAtionAl mArine mAmmAl lAborAtory

special thanks to billy Adams, nok Acker, lewis brower, michael donovan iii, bill kopplin, charles monnett, sue moore, scott oyagak, glenn sheehan, michael stotts, edith suvlu and bryan thomas.Front cover Whales: photo by Julie Mocklin, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 782-1719. January Whales: photo by Julie Mocklin, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 782-1719. February Plane: photo by Kate Stafford, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington. Triple camera: photo by Dave Rugh, NOAA/AFSC/NMML. Whale by ice: photo by Vicki Beaver, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 14245. March Whale eye and spear points: photos by Craig George. Whale: Julie Mocklin, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 782-1719. april M/C whale: photo by Vicki Beaver, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 14245. May Whales from land: photo by photo by Kate Stafford, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington. Bowhead/beluga: photo by Vicki Beaver, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 14245. June 1-ton whale: photo by Vicki Beaver, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 782-1719. 5-ton whale: photo by BOWFEST aerial survey team, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 14245. Big bowhead: photo by Julie Mocklin, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 782-1719. July Copepod: photo by Celia Gelfman (URI). Bowhead: photo by Amelia Brower, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 14245. august Whale tag: photo by Mark Baumgartner. Whale: photo by Amelia Brower, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 782-1719. septeMber Whale: photo by Julie Mocklin, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 782-1719. october Krill and copepod: photos by Celia Gelfman (URI). Whale stomachs: photos by Craig George. Whale: photo by Julie Mocklin, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 782-1719. noveMber Whale stomach: photo by Craig George. Whale: photo by BOWFEST aerial survey team, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 782-1719. DeceMber Hydrophone: photo by Kate Stafford, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington. Whale: photo by Amelia Brower, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 14245. back cover Photo by Julie Mocklin, NOAA/AFSC/NMML, Permit No. 782-1719.

Support was provided by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. This publication is the result, in part, of research sponsored by the Cooperative Institute for Alaska Research with funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under cooperative agreement NA08OAR4320751 with the University of Alaska.

Thanks to Rachel Potter (UAF) for processing the MODIS chlorophyll image.

this calendar illustrates aspects of the life history of bowhead whales. it incorporates traditional knowledge and contemporary research from many individuals representing a variety of institutions, agencies, and organizations.

Bowhead Whales

2 0 1 3 C a l e n da r

A Year in the Life of

Bowhead Whales A Year in the Life of

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January | Siqiññaatchiaq 2013

Bowhead WhalesA Year in the Life of

the big picture: tracking bowheads from satellites

Annual range of the Western Arctic stock of bowhead whales as

determined by satellite tagging studies

When and where bowhead whales passed by shore in spring and fall has been known for thousands of years by iñupiat whalers, but where they spent the winter was not well known by hunters or scientists. A cooperative project that began in 2006, and continues today, works with native whalers to put satellite tags on bowhead whales to track their movements wherever they go. these tags have told us: 1) where bowhead whales winter in the bering sea, 2) that some whales do not pass barrow in the spring, but stay in the chukchi sea, 3) that during the summer, some whales go back and forth in the beaufort sea and others go far to the north and east towards greenland, and 4) that in fall, most bowheads travel close to shore in the beaufort sea, then fan out as they cross the chukchi sea and then travel close to the shore of russia before entering the bering sea for the winter.

Qakugulu sukun aġvigit qaaŋiqsaaguutillaaŋi siñaakun upingaami ukiamilu ilisimanigaat Taimaŋa qaŋasaaruk Iñupiat aġviqsiuqtit, aglaan sumi ukiusuutillaaŋich naluvallignigaat tamatkua aŋuniatit naga qimilguuqtit. Paammaaġignikun savaaq isagutiruaq 2006mi, suli igliktuat paŋmanuaġlaan, savaqatigisuugai Iñupiat aġviqsiuqtit pituutchiqsuqługi aġvigit sil.akun naipiqtuługi iglautuaqmata. Matkua pituutat il.itchugipkaġaatigut: 1) sumi aġvigit ukiusuutllaŋi Ualiġmi Taġiumi, 2) il.aani aġvigit ataulaitkaat Utqiaġvik upingaami, aglaan Qulliġmi Taġiumiitchuurut, 3) il.aani upingaami, il.aŋi aġvigit utiqtatqigaaġuurut Qulliġmi Taġiumi suli allat iglaurut kivanmun tuŋaanun Kalaallit Nunaat, suli 4) imalu ukiaġman, iñugiaktuat aġvigit siññiqsraaguurut kivaliġmi Taġiumi, siamiraqsivlutik aasii Qulliġmun Taġiumun aasiisuli iglauraqsivlutik qalivlugu Russit Nunaat isiqsaaqsagamik Ualiġmun Taġiumun ukiuyaqtuahutiŋ.

Vankarem

FA L L

W i n t e R

Uelen

Point Hope

Barrow

Kaktovik Tuktoyaktuk

S P R i n G

SuM M e R

B e a u f o r t S e a

B e r i n g S e a

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70°n

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February | Siqiññaasugruk 2013

Bowhead WhalesA Year in the Life of

tracking bowhead whales from airplanes

Aerial surveys can be used to describe changes in the timing and locations of bowhead whales. in addition, aerial photography provides information on how long individual whales stay in an area and on the sizes of whales.

bowhead whale behavior is also observed by the aerial survey team. often, bowheads are seen feeding, based on mud on the body, open-mouths, and the presence of feces. However, the most commonly observed whale behavior near barrow is: traveling!

Siļamiñ kaŋiksiuġnit quliaqtuaguyumiñaqtut alaŋugnit igliġniŋanŋi suli sumuguutilaaŋi aġvigit. Il.aman, Sil.amiñ qiñigaat kaŋiksiuġutausuurut qanutun tamaanitchuugutillaaŋa aġviglaa suli aktillaagutausuumiuq aġviġnun.

Aġvigit qanusigakniŋi naipiqtuguumigai sil.amiñ qimilguuqtuat. Qavsiiqsuaługi, aġvigit qiñiguugai niġiruat, aqiyiñniŋagun timiani, aatchaŋalgaraqman, suli anaa tautugnaġman. Aglaan, naipiqtulhaaqnaqtuaq aġvigit qanusiġaġniŋat Utqiaġvium siñaani: iglaukpagniŋat!

the three Canon cameras with 85 mm lenses mounted inside the nOAA twin Otter’s belly port.

Map showing locations of all bowhead sightings during late summer aerial surveys, 2007 – 2011

2007 2008 2009 2010 20110

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71°n

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March | Paniqsiqsiivik 2013

Bowhead WhalesA Year in the Life of

bowheads live a really long time

indirect evidence that bowhead whales live a long time comes, in part, from stone weapons (right) that were found in the blubber of whales recently harvested by eskimo hunters. native whaling crews generally stopped using stone weapons by the 1880s. this suggests that whales live at least 120 years, and perhaps much longer.

scientists can also estimate the age of bowhead whales by measuring chemical changes within the eye lens. these changes occur at known rates and can be used to roughly age long-lived mammals like humans and whales. the oldest whale aged using this method was over 200 years old.

Iļitchugiłauraŋarut aġvigit iñuukpaguutillaaŋi, uriqsuutigivlugi, uyagaait satkuŋitch (taimaŋaqtat) pakitauruat uqsruŋiŋñiñ aġviġit paŋmapak aġvaktaaġiraŋinñiñ Iñupiat. Iñupiat aġviqsiuqtuat aġiuŋavalligai uyagait satkut taimaani 1880 qaniani. Suaguuq aġvigit iñuusuumarut tallimakipiaq iñuiññaq ukiani, imaqanuqlu sivisulhaaqtuamik.

Qimilguuqtit ukiuqtutillaalasiŋagai aġvigitch uuktuqługi ivsaviurat qasaluata allaŋugniŋa iluani tukuata irim. Tamatkua alaŋŋugniŋi nalunaitchut suli ukiuktutilaagutauyumiŋaqtut iñuukpaguuruanun niġrutinun iñuŋnilu aġviġnilu. Utuqauniksraq aġviq ukiututillaataat qulikipianiñ utuqqaulhaatuq.

ABOVE   Stone weapons recently found in the blubber of bowhead whales.

LEFT   A bowhead whale eye.

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April | Qargill.iigvik 2013

Bowhead WhalesA Year in the Life of

bowhead food in the beaufort sea: alaska grown

computer studies of ocean currents show how krill might be carried from their spawning grounds in the bering sea to the beaufort sea. the map on the left shows that some of the krill spawning in April near Alaska could arrive at barrow in time for bowhead whales to feed on them during september and october. the map on the right shows that krill spawning in April near russia are not likely to arrive at barrow by september and october.

Qaqasaŋuakun il.saat saġvatigun nalunaiŋagaa qanuq igliġat saġvaguutilaaŋi iñuguġvianiñ Ualim Taġiuŋaniñ pauŋa kivalim Taġiuŋanun. Nunauraliam saumiani nalunaigaa qanuq iġligat ivaruat Umiaqqavigmi ualiani Alaskam tikillaaŋat Utqiaġviŋmun nalauługu aġviġnun niqauyuminasivlutik Sikkuvikmilu Nippivikmilu. Nunauraliaq taliqpigmi nalunaigaa iġligatli iñuguqtuat Ruusim siññaani sagvaqtauyuminaitchut Utqiaġviŋmun Sikkuvigmilu Nippivigmilu.

Apr mAy JUn JUl AUg sep oct nov

B e a u f o r t S e a

B e r i n g S e a

RU S S I AA L A S K A

B e a u f o r t S e a

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RU S S I AA L A S K A

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May | Suvligvik 2013

Bowhead WhalesA Year in the Life of

bowhead whales from the bering, chukchi and beaufort sea population are counted in the spring as they swim in open leads near barrow, Alaska. some whales are not seen because they pass by in the fog, in very heavy ice, or far from shore. Hydrophones in the water listen for whale calls to help count these unseen whales. these counts show that the bowhead population is healthy, increasing, and can support a subsistence harvest —as the inupiat have known for thousands of years.

Aġviġit Ualiġmi (Bering) Qulliġmi (Chukchi) suli kivaliġmi (Beaufort Sea) kistchuugai upinġaksrami iglaumata uiñitigun Utqiaġvium saliani. Iļaŋi aġviġit qiñiġnalaitchut atakii atautchuurut taktukkun, sagraġruakun, nagga uŋasinaahutiŋ. Naalakniuitit immakun tusaasuugaa aġviġum nippa kisitauvluniasii qiñiġnailanun. Tamatkua kisitchinġit nalunaiġaat aġvigitguuq sayaaġitsut, naunmuktut, suli ikayuutaullaruq niqsaġniġmun – aniqsa Iñupiat il.isimaaniksimaraat taimaŋasaaq ukiuni.

the bowhead census shows a growing population

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estimated bowhead Whale population size and trend

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June | Ig•ñivik 2013

Bowhead WhalesA Year in the Life of

one-ton baby bowheads gain a ton per month

bowhead calves are typically born in may. At birth, a calf weighs about one ton and is about 13 feet long. calves nurse for the next 6 to 9 months. by the time a calf is one year old, it will weigh 10–12 tons and will have grown to 25–30 feet long.

the calf photographed in may 2011 weighs a little more than one ton and is about 14 feet long.

the same calf photographed in september 2011 now weighs about five tons and is about 21 feet long.

Aġvalaat aniraqsisuurut Suvluġviŋuġman. Aġvalaaq, qulit tallimakipiatun uqumaitchuq aġvalaat miluguurut itchaksrani nagga quliŋŋugutailani tatqini. Atausimik ukiuqtutillaanigman, qulit tallimakipiat,tallimakipipatun uqumailivluni suli nauvlunisuli iñuiññaq tallimatun – iñuiññaq qulitun taktillaanihuni.

Aġvalaaq qiñigaaq Suvluġviŋuġman 2011mi uqumainŋuraqtuq qulit tallimakipiatun suli akimiaġutailamik taktillaaqahuni.

Aġvalaaq qiñigatqil.giñman Sikkuvigmi 2011mi uqumailiniqsuq tallimat qulit tallimakipiamik suli iñuiññaq atausinik takitigiliġłuni.

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July | Iñukkuksaivik 2013

Bowhead WhalesA Year in the Life of

bowhead whales spend much of the summer feeding on copepods in the southeastern beaufort sea. Here, near Amundsen gulf and where the mackenzie river flows into the beaufort sea, vast expanses of algae (tiny, microscopic plants) feed great swarms of copepods. these great swarms of copepods, in turn, feed thousands of bowhead whales.

the plot shows the distribution of algae in the southeastern beaufort sea in July 2010. red colors indicate high concentrations of algae; blue colors indicate low concentrations of algae.

Aġvigit upinġiqpagaktut taina niġiniuraahutiŋ igliġauranik qavani ualiaŋani Kivalim taġiuŋani. Taavani, Amundsen Ikarraani suli taavani (Kuukpaum) maqivia kivaliġmun taġiumun, nauriagurat nauqpaguurut(qiñinapqauraqtuat) niġġivigik-paguugai igliġaurat. Tamatkua iñugiaksiqpahutiŋ igliġaurat, il.iŋiŋl.iasii, niqiŋŋuqłutin aġviġnun.

Tamna kaŋiksiugun nalunaigaa siaminniŋi nauriagurat ualiaŋani Kivalim taġiuŋani Iñukkuksaiviŋuman 2010mi. Qaviqsaat qaunġich nalunaigai naupaktuat nauriagurat; suŋauraataat qaunġich nalunaigai naupiaŋitviat nauriagurat.

summer picnic: copepods eat algae, bowheads eat copepods

Few algae

Many algae

A copepod

Areas covered by clouds are blacked out.

MacKenz i e R

B e a u f o r t S e a

Yukon R

ALASKA

CAnADA

A m u n d s e n G u l f

M

acKen

zie R

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August | Amig• iksivik 2013

Bowhead WhalesA Year in the Life of

“tags” help us observe whale feeding behavior

Short-term tagging is a common way to study whale feeding behavior. A tag is attached to a whale for periods of a few hours while scientists follow the whale’s movements and sample the ocean many times along the whale’s path to measure temperature, salinity, and the amount of food available to the whale. Once detached from the whale, the tag can be recovered and dive information recorded by the tag can be analyzed. The plot above shows an example of a bowhead whale tagged northeast of Barrow that is searching for food in the cool water near the sea floor (the black line indicates the whale’s depth and the color background indicates the temperature of the water).

Pituugaurat piiqsiġiatuat ilisaunnaurut aġviġit niġiniaqniannun. Pituusikługu aġviq qavsiqiurani siqiñŋuram kiavalagniani maligallasisuugaat qimilguuqtit aasii uuktugaasivlugu taġiuq aġviġum iglauviŋa kaŋiksisuġługu uunnaaktillaaŋa, taġiuqtutillaa, suli uuktuqługu niqisraa aġviġum. Pituugauraq amuman aġviġmiñ, tavra paqiługu Pituugauramiñ qanutun nakkaumitillaaŋa kaŋiqsiuġviġisuugaat. Piŋña kaŋiksiugun uuktuusiaguruq aġviġum pituutiŋaniñ kivaliani Utqiaġvium

niġiniuraaqtuam niglaumaniani taġium samma qaniani natqata (taamna maŋaqtaam nalunaiġaa aġviġium nakaaganiŋa aasii qaunigit tunuani nalunaiġaili taġium uunaqtillaaŋi).

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Alaska

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AlaskaAlaskaBarrow

Barrow

B E A U F O R T S E A

B E A U F O R T S E A

krill or euphausiid

Photo: Robert Campbell and Carin Ashjian

Photo: Julie Mocklin

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September | Amig•aiqsivik 2013

Bowhead Whales

When winds blow from the eastcurrents carry krill ❶ through barrow canyon ❷ into the beaufort sea ❸ beneath the relatively warm Alaskan coastal Water ❹. When winds blow from the east ❺, they move the Alaskan coastal Water farther away from the coast. At the same time, upwelling currents ❻ near the bottom carry the krill into shallower shelf waters. once krill are in shallow shelf waters, shelf currents ❼ carry the krill to the west toward barrow.

nigiqpag•manSaġvaitch aulautisuugai Igliġat ❶ Utqiaġvium taġiuŋata itiruaŋanun ❷ Nuvuum kivaliani taġiumun ❸ Ataanunlu uunnaaktuam taġiuŋanun Alaskam siññaani ❹. Anuġit Nigiqpaġmata ❺, tunusuugai Alaskam nunaata siññaanin taġiumun taunuŋa uŋasiksivlugi. Aasiiñ, qunmuktuam saġvaum ❻ sammaŋamiñ tiŋŋiŋmivlugi igliġat pauŋa ikatuam taġiuŋanun. Tavraŋŋa igliġat taġium ikaŋniŋanugmata, saġvait ❼ igliġutisuugai igliġat uanmun Utqiaġvium tuŋaanun.

When winds are calmWhen winds become very weak or stop blowing, upwelling currents stop and the warm Alaskan coastal Water ❶ moves closer to the shore. in this situation, the Alaskan coastal Water extends down to the sea floor ❷ and acts as a barrier to the movement of krill ❸. krill that were carried westward by shelf currents when winds were from the east are prevented from escaping into deeper water by the Alaskan coastal Water, so they collect in large numbers near point barrow ❹. bowhead whales feed upon these dense patches of krill during late summer and during their annual westward fall-feeding migration ❺.

anug• it qasulaag•mataAnuġit suamaigmata nagga anuqłiŋiagman, qunmuktuat saġvait nutqaguurut aasii uunnaaktuaq Alaskam taġiuŋa ❶ qallitqiguuruq nunamun. Tainnailiman, Alaskam siññaani taġiuŋa tasitchuuruq tasamuŋa taġium natqanun ❷ sapiqutauvluniasii iglauviŋanun Igliġat ❸. Igliġatli saġvaktauruat uanmun ikatuam saġvaakun taimani anuġi nigiqpaġman sapirausuurut annaksaguminaiługi tasamuŋa itiruaŋanun Alaskam taġiuŋaniñ, tavraasii atautchimun katitpaasivlutiŋ kiluani Utqiaġvium ❹. Aġviġitch niġiniaġviġisuugai taina katitpaktuat igliġat ukiagsraaman suli uanmun ukiagniuraagman iglauraqsigamiŋ niġiniaġviġiqpaguugai ❺.

A Year in the Life of

Why barrow is a bowhead feeding hotspot

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October | Sikkuvik 2013

Bowhead WhalesA Year in the Life of

copepods and krill – tiny prey for massive whales

Euphausiids or krill are close relatives of shrimp and look similar. They are born in the Bering Sea in spring and are brought to Alaska’s northern coast by ocean currents, arriving at Barrow in the fall as juveniles and adults, in time for migrating bowheads to eat them. Juvenile and adult krill are a little less than an inch long. Many whales harvested near Barrow are found with krill in their stomachs. Few krill survive the trip in the currents from Barrow to Kaktovik, so whales in eastern Alaska and in Canada are rarely found with krill in their stomachs.

Igliġat tainiqaqtuat krill-nik ilagiiksut suli qiññaqaqtut naulaġnatun. Iñuguġuurulli Ualim taġiuŋani upingaaġman aasii pauŋaŋa Alaskam qulaanun tiŋŋittagigai saġvait, tikiłłutiŋ Utqiaġviŋnun ukiaġmauŋ agliuraaniġmata suli qatqitmata, nalauługi aġviġit niġiniaqniŋat. Igliġaiyaat suli igliġat mikiuraqtut uuktuutimi atausim titaaniñ. Iñugiaktuat aġvaktat Utqiaġvium killuani igliġanik imaqaguurut aqiaġuŋi. Igliġat iñugiaktuat iñuulaitchut saġvaŋni Utqiaġviŋmiñ Kaktoviŋmun, tavraasii aġviġit kivaliani Alaskam Kanadamilu igliġanik paqiñnaitchuq aqiaguŋinñi.

Copepods are the most abundant animals in the sea. Bowhead whales feed on large copepods the size of a grain of rice. Copepods spend the summer feeding and building up fat, and are a high-energy, high-calorie food. Bowhead whales eat copepods along Alaska’s north coast and in the whales’ summering grounds in the Canadian Arctic. Whales harvested at both Barrow and Kaktovik may have copepods in their stomachs.

Igliġaurat iñugiaŋnigsraurut niġrutni taġiumi. Aġviġit niġiniaguurut igliġauranik aktillaaqaqtuanik raaqtun. Igliġaurat upingivlutiŋ niġiniaqpaguurut quiññaksahutiŋ, suli uqsruagiksut, kayummiñaq niqigiksut. Aġviġit niġiniaguurut igliġauranik Alaskam qullaani taġiumi suli aġviġit upingiviani qavani Kanadam siññaani. Aġvaktaat Utqiaġviŋmilu Kaktoviŋmilu ilaani igliġauranik immaqagaguurut aqiaguŋiŋni.

A krill, and krill filling the stomach of a whale harvested near barrow.

A copepod, and copepods filling the stomach of a

whale harvested near the Alaska/canada border.Barrow

Kaktovik

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November | Nippivik 2013

Bowhead WhalesA Year in the Life of

how much food does a bowhead eat?

bowheads have a massive appetite. during summer and fall they eat almost all the time to build up their fat reserves for winter and spring. A 30 foot bowhead whale can hold about 26 gallons of food in its stomach. this is more than five 5-gallon buckets.

krill is a very high calorie food and contains lots of fat. twenty-six gallons of bowhead food has as much energy as 4,550 Hershey’s kisses! And bowheads eat this little snack about 5 times per day. that is over 22,000 Hershey’s kisses per day!

eating like this, bowheads can add as much as 20 inches of blubber, almost half of their total body weight. the fat keeps the whales warm inside and makes it possible for them to live in the cold Arctic waters. However, bowheads have much more fat than they would need just to stay warm. the extra fat may serve as built-in energy for years when bowheads cannot find enough food.

Aġvigit niġġiksupialaktut. Upingaksrami ukiamilu ataramik niġiniaġuurut uqsruqtusisaġłutiŋ ukiumun upingaksramunaglaan. Iñuiññaq qulitun agliman aġviqiñuiññaq itchaksrat imgusiaruit immilagai aqiauata.Itchaksrat imgusiarugnin imaqalhaatuq.

Igligat quiññaksautigiksut suli uqsruagiksiŋasuurut. Iñuiññaq itchaksrat imgusiaruitguug aġvigit niqiŋi sayaagiksut 4,550 Hersim nuŋuraaŋatun! Suli aġvigit tamuaqatchiagimatun niġisuugai tallimani uvlumi. Niġimatun 22,000 Hersim nuŋuraaŋatun uvlutuaġman!

Niġigamik taina, aġvigit quiññaksaġaktut ugsrutusivlitiŋ iñuiññaq suva, avvaŋatun timaata uqumainñiŋata. Uqsruata uunnaaktitchuugaa ilua suli iñuullasipayaaguugai Qiiyanaqtuani taġiuni. Aglaan, aġvigitch uqsruqalhaaqtut anniqsuutauruamik uunnautigisiñaŋitchuamik. Uqsruata il.aŋa quiññaksautausinaŋitchuq atuguuvlugu aġviġum il.aani sua niqail.iugumi.

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December | Siqing• ill.aq 2013

bowhead whales make a variety of sounds to communicate with each other, navigate in icy Arctic waters, and find food. scientists use hydrophones (underwater microphones, right) to record these sounds. A spectrogram is a picture of the sound showing time (in seconds), frequency (in kilohertz), and loudness (brighter colors). the spectrogram above shows bowhead communication calls.

Aġviġit iñugiaktuanik imiksiutiqaqtut avanmun uqautigamik, igligviksraqtik sivuniumarruŋ sikutigun, suli niqisraqsiugamiŋ. Qimilguuqtit atuguugai (imakkun imiksiugutit , saumiani ) pituksaqługi nippiŋi. Siititiliaq qiñiġaaligaa nippi uuktuługu kayumiŋa (titatigun), qatituniŋa (quaqsaagutikun), suli nipatuniŋa (qumalhaat qaungit). Siititiliaq piġña naluniagaa aġviġum imiksiutaa uqautigamik.

What are bowhead whales saying?

A hydrophone is suspended from a buoy.

Push the button to hear bowhead whale sounds!

Bowhead WhalesA Year in the Life of

Sound chip