{"id":39811,"date":"2024-07-15T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-15T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/854145d0-dbc5-47d7-ad96-1f4ad3141a44"},"modified":"2024-07-15T08:27:31","modified_gmt":"2024-07-15T06:27:31","slug":"beluga-cam-60000-white-whales-are-on-the-move-and-you-can-watch-their-epic-journey-live","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/beluga-cam-60000-white-whales-are-on-the-move-and-you-can-watch-their-epic-journey-live\/","title":{"rendered":"Beluga Cam: 60,000 white whales are on the move, and you can watch their epic journey live"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hudson Bay’s annual beluga whale migration has begun, and you can livestream it above and below the water \u2013 whilst also getting involved in online conservation research. <\/p>

By Graeme Green\n <\/p>

Published: Monday, 15 July 2024 at 06:00 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Every year, nearly 60,000 beluga whales<\/a> make their annual migration from the Arctic to the warmer waters of Hudson Bay\u2019s Churchill River estuary to feed, moult and give birth. <\/strong><\/p>

This year, on Arctic Sea Ice Day (15 July), Polar Bears International are airing their\u00a0 Beluga Whale Live Cam<\/a>\u00a0again, so wildlife-lovers can tune in and watch these playful gentle giants of the sea in action.\u00a0<\/p>

Those watching the Underwater\u00a0Beluga Cam<\/a>\u00a0can expect to see dozens of beluga whales playing, swimming, nursing their calves and feeding.\u00a0<\/p>

Last year’s Begula Cam captures a baby swimming with its mother. Credit: Polar Bears International <\/figcaption><\/figure>
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Beluga Cam<\/h2>
The Churchill River estuary is inaccessible in the winter months, but after the thaw,\u00a057,000\u00a0belugas make their way along the river in Manitoba to the sub-Arctic Southern Hudson Bay to access\u00a0the abundant\u00a0food, which the white whales can enjoy in relative safety, as there are fewer of their predators, such as orcas<\/a>, around.\u00a0<\/p>
Begula Cam tracks almost 60,000 beluga whales on their annual migration to their breeding and feeding grounds. Credit: Kieran McIver<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cBeluga whales are so curious and many will swim right up to the underwater camera, as they play in the wake of the boat,\u201d says Alysa McCall, Polar Bears International Staff Scientist and Director of Conservation Outreach. <\/p>
\u201cOne of our favourite aspects of the Beluga Cam experience is the hydrophone, which allows people to hear the whales vocalising and communicating with each other. They\u2019re called the \u2018canaries of the sea\u2019 for a reason: non-stop chatter. The Above Water camera<\/a> also allows viewers to put the belugas in context with the shores and surrounding region, as pods of whales meander throughout the river.\u201d<\/p>
A curious beluga bites the camera. Credit: Polar Bears International <\/figcaption><\/figure>
There\u2019s a chance to see other local wildlife, too. \u201cUnderwater, viewers may spot different fish species, such as capelin, and possibly even a jellyfish<\/a>,\u201d says McCall. <\/p>
\u201cThanks to these cams, researchers have been able to identify melon comb jellyfish (Beroe cucumis<\/em>) and common northern comb jellyfish (Bolinopsis infundibulum<\/em>) in the Churchill River.\u00a0Viewers could even see a seal if they\u2019re lucky, and, onshore, there\u2019s a good chance of spotting a polar bear<\/a> along the shoreline. In the summer months, the sea ice has melted so the bears are forced ashore to hang out until the ice refreezes and seal hunting\u2019s possible again. Occasionally, a bear might try its hand, or paw, at beluga hunting, though it\u2019s rarely successful. Over the years, we\u2019ve learned that wildlife cams in Churchill are always full of surprises.”<\/p>
Belugas rely on sea ice for protection\u00a0from predators and for feeding. The\u00a0Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet. Recent research links the disappearance of Hudson Bay\u2019s sea ice to polar bear survival. <\/p>
Begula whales are often referred to as the \u2018canaries of the sea\u2019 for their non-stop chatter. Credit: Polar Bears International <\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cBetter understanding of the beluga whales in this region can contribute to the wider knowledge of what\u2019s happening in Hudson Bay and the Arctic as our world warms,\u201d McCall says. <\/p>
\u201cUnderstanding the demographics of beluga pods, and how those may be changing over time, can be one piece of Hudson Bay\u2019s shifting ecology puzzle. Also, by seeing species we didn\u2019t know were in this region, such as the northern comb jellyfish, we can get an insight into\u00a0changes in water conditions and general ecosystem health. <\/p>
“It\u2019s more critical than ever to monitor this region as recent research\u00a0predicts the Southern and Western Hudson Bay polar bears, including the polar bears of Churchill, are likely to become locally extinct if nations fail to meet the goals set in the Paris Climate Agreement. Of course, this would have far-reaching impacts for all species in Hudson Bay and the Arctic, including beluga whales.\u201d<\/p>
$\"Begula$
It’s not just beluga whales that researchers are interested in \u2013 sightings of other species such as the northern comb jellyfish offer an insight into\u00a0changes in water conditions and general ecosystem health. Credit: Madison Stevens<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Beluga Bits<\/h2>
Viewers can also get involved via a citizen science project called Beluga Bits<\/a>.\u00a0Researchers at the Assiniboine Park Zoo (APZ) have partnered with PBI and Explore.org to examine snapshots from the Underwater Camera in order to gain more understanding of the belugas\u2019 underwater world. <\/p>
\u201cBeluga Bits involves \u2018citizen scientists\u2019 taking snapshots of the whales and alerting researchers to interesting findings,\u201d McCall explains. <\/p>
\u201cWe now get\u00a0hundreds of thousands of images each year\u00a0but, thanks to machine-learning and support from the University of Manitoba, this project uses\u00a0an algorithm that can rapidly sort photos and remove photos that don\u2019t contain whales. This allows the participants in the Beluga Bits project to spend more time classifying whales and helping us answer questions.\u201d<\/p>
$\"Begula$
Begula Bits is a citizen science project that aims to gain more understanding of the belugas\u2019 underwater world. Credit: Kieran McIver<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Since Beluga Bits was launched in 2016, over\u00a028,800\u00a0community members have engaged on Zooniverse, logging around 20,000 volunteer hours while contributing more than 7.5 million photo classifications. <\/p>
\u201cUnderwater footage can provide a wealth of information about belugas in the Churchill River estuary,\u201d McCall says. \u201cThis project has not only helped us understand beluga whales better, but it also offers a unique view into their rich underwater habitat.\u201d<\/p>
Watch the Beluga Cams <\/a>now.<\/p>
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Whale vs dolphin: what’s the difference?<\/a><\/li><\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n
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