What question did this study set out to answer?

The research aims to assess the abundance and distribution of beluga whales in the Eastern Bering Sea using aerial surveys.

February 14, 2026Open Access

Abundance and distribution of eastern Bering Sea belugas from 2024 aerial line-transect surveys

Key Points

The research aims to assess the abundance and distribution of beluga whales in the Eastern Bering Sea using aerial surveys.
Conducted aerial line-transect surveys over the Eastern Bering Sea
Used an Aero Commander aircraft for pre-planned transects
Observers recorded beluga group sightings and their locations
Environmental conditions affecting detection were also recorded
Distribution data confirmed the presence of beluga groups in the surveyed area
Environmental factors influenced the detection rates of belugas
Sightings included information on the perpendicular distance from the aircraft

Abstract

In 2024, we conducted an aerial line-transect survey of the Eastern Bering Sea (EBS) stock of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Alaska, USA. In this survey, a team of observers scanned for marine mammals from bubble windows installed on an Aero Commander aircraft, which flew pre-planned transects. Observers recorded sightings of beluga groups, location of beluga sightings (including perpendicular distance from the aircraft), and environmental conditions thought to influence detection (e.g., turbidity, Beaufort Scale sea state).

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Cite This Study

Conn et al. (Thu,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/699011932ccff479cfe5860b https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.25923/8pap-cg85

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