SUMMARY Total number of days spent with the narwhals: 24 days Number of pictures taken: approximately 2000 Acoustic recordings: 37 hours Total number of narwhals seen: approximately 4000 Listen to narwhal vocalisations

Expedition 2005 Location Methods Daily logbook Acoustic recordings SUMMARY Total time with narwhals: 7 hours Number of pictures taken: 60 Acoustic recordings: 2 hours 45 min Total number of narwhals seen: 450

LOCATION
We conducted a preliminary study from the 24th to the 30th of August 2005 near Pond Inlet, Nunavut. We created our base camp on a beach in Koluktoo Bay (72º 07’N, 80º45’W). We conducted observations from a motorized boat and from a point on the coast (Bruce Head).

METHODS Every ten minutes, we recorded the number of narwhal groups, the number of narwhals per group and the total number of narwhals. In addition, we described the behaviour (traveling, foraging, resting or social), recorded the underwater vocalizations and photographed the backs of observed narhwals to build a catalogue of individually identifiable whales. We saw narwhals every day we went on the boat. They seemed to form pods of 5-10 whales when they were travelling or foraging. When they were resting or socializing, they formed less structured groups spreading over larger area.

DAILY LOGBOOK August 25th 72º02’N, 80º40’W 12:35 The narwhals are foraging. They come as close as 200 m to the boat. There are at least 4 clusters with 5-6 narwhals in each. We can distinguish a few calves. 14:18 A male displays his tusk and his fin out of the water. August 26th Bruce Head 12:50 The narwhals are swimming into the bay. They are less than 50m from the shore. They swim very close to each other in clusters of 4 to 10 individuals. There seem to be both males and females mixed together. This parade lasted for 25 minutes. We probably saw 250 different individuals. 13:15 The narwhals are spread out in the bay. August 27th 72º02’N, 80º40’W 11:00 The narwhals are all around our boat. They swim in different directions. They are probably feeding. Some of them show their flukes before diving. There are at least 5 clusters of 3 to 8 narwhals. 11:42 Three ringed seals are investigating our boat. 72º05N, 80º54'W 14:34 One cluster of 4 narwhals is travelling together. We did not note any narwhals' tusk today.

August 28th Base Camp 9:20 At least two clusters of 4 to 6 narwhals are swimming toward the south-east at 500 m from the shore. 9:36 A male is displaying its tusk out ot the water. 9:52 The narwhals are resting under the surface, forming a line close to the cliff on the eastern shore. 12:42 Two clusters of 4-5 narwhals are swimming westward at 300 m from shore. They are swimming at a good speed and are probably travelling. August 30th Bruce Head 14:10 There are approximately 60 narwhals at 500 m from the point. They are resting at the surface or moving slowing. They form small clusters of 2-3 whales and are spread out evenly. 14:20 A male is displaying its tusk out of the water. 14:25 A group of 3 narwhals is doing a little dance for us: they are moving slowing in synchrony.

ACOUSTIC RECORDINGS Extract from a narwhal recording, August 25 (mp3, 1 minute) Our Inuit guide is so excited to see narwhals that we can hear his yelling with our hydrophone: "Tuugalik! Tuugalik!" (mp3, 40 seconds)