James Bay, an estuarine-like body of water adjacent to Hudson Bay, was recently identified as having its own beluga population. The James Bay beluga population is considered one of the southernmost and understudied among the twenty one populations. Beluga are primarily characterized as undergoing seasonal migrations, spending summer months in warm, estuarine waters then moving to deeper water systems following ice edges. Interestingly, the James Bay population does not appear to migrate, with evidence of year-round presence in the Bay. It is still unknown why beluga reside in James Bay year-round as well as the influence the surrounding environment has on this behavior. My research aims to confirm their year-round residency and understand the factors influencing it.

Here we will investigate the seasonal variability of movements through the use of vocalizations in correlation to different environmental parameters (e.g., ice cover, temperature, salinity etc.). Beluga are very vocal, call types can include whistles, pulsed tones, echolocation clicks, and combined calls. Using a hydrophone deployed in southeastern James Bay, we will analyze 7 minute acoustic recordings from August 2022 to August 2023, utilizing both a custom automatic detector and manual verification methods to assess presence/absence. Acoustic monitoring provides a non-invasive and long-term method of understanding beluga behaviour, seasonal occurrence, and presence/absence of an area. Given the possibility that the population remains within the bay, this research can support the establishment of conservation areas and management systems in James Bay.