Local recruitment of humpback whales in Glacier Bay and Icy Strait, Alaska, over 30 years

A study tracking humpback whales over 33 years reveals that local recruitment and fidelity, rather than immigration from other regions, drive population recovery in Glacier Bay and Icy Strait (GBIS), Alaska. Using photoidentification and DNA analysis, researchers found that 73.6% of contemporary whales were either returning founders or descendants of founder mothers, with 96% of founder females represented or having descendants in the contemporary stratum. No significant genetic differences between temporal strata suggest minimal immigration from other feeding grounds, emphasizing the importance of local habitat protection for this culturally migratory species.

Pierszalowski, S., Gabriele, C., Steel, D., Neilson, J., Vanselow, P., Cedarleaf, J., Straley, J., & Baker, C. (2016). Local recruitment of humpback whales in Glacier Bay and Icy Strait, Alaska, over 30 years. Endangered Species Research, 31, 177–189. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00761