Solovyev B.A., Shpak O.V., Glazov D.M., Rozhnov V.V., Kuznetsova D.M. 2015. Summer distribution of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Sea of Okhotsk // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.14. No.2: 201–215 [in English].
Boris A. Solovyev [solovyev.boris@gmail.com] Faculty of Geography, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1-12, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119234, Russia, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, 33, Leninsky prospekt, Moscow 119071, Russia; Olga V. Shpak [ovshpak@gmail.com] A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, 33, Leninsky prospekt, Moscow 119071, Russia Marine Mammal Council 36, Nakhimovskiy prospekt, Moscow, 117997, Russia; Dmitri M. Glazov [dglazov@yandex.ru] A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, 33, Leninsky prospekt, Moscow 119071, Russia Marine Mammal Council 36, Nakhimovskiy prospekt, Moscow, 117997, Russia; Vyacheslav V. Rozhnov [rozhnov.v@gmail.com] A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, 33, Leninsky prospekt, Moscow 119071; Daria M. Kuznetsova [belyi.kit@gmail.com] A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, 33, Leninsky prospekt, Moscow 119071.
ABSTRACT: The summer distribution of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Sea of Okhotsk is typical for boreal and subarctic seas that are seasonally ice covered and support numerous anadromous fish species. During summer in the Sea of Okhotsk, beluga whales aggregate where rivers flow into estuaries, gulfs, and bays. Beluga whales are currently found in Sakhalinskiy Bay (in an estuary of the Amur River), the Shantar region, in portions of Shelikhov Bay, and along the northwestern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Changes in beluga whale distribution have occurred when compared to results of earlier studies. In particular, summer aggregations have increased in the Shantar region and along the northwestern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula.
KEY WORDS: beluga whales, geographic distribution, Sea of Okhotsk.