NORTHERN BOTTLENOSE WHALEs

NORTHERN BOTTLENOSE WHALES AND THE GULLY MARINE PROTECTED AREA Endangered Endangered northern bottlenose whales in Canada are mostly found in the Gully Marine Protected Area, an astoundingly rich underwater canyon located 200km off the coast of Nova Scotia. Scotian Shelf population first assessed as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada in 2002 160 Northern bottlenose whales currently live in The Gully year-round At 65km long and 15m wide, the Gully is the biggest undersea canyon in eastern North America." PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND NEWFOUNDLAND NEW BRUNSWICK The Gully became eastern Canada's 1st Marine Protect- NOVA SCOTIA ed Area in 2004 UNITED STATES • Halifax THE GULLY Scotian Shelf Haldimand Canyon Shortland Canyon Gulf of Maine The Gully Spends most of its time in the Gully, nearby Shortland and Haldimand canyons, and the corridors between the canyons. THREATS DID YOU KNOW? FACTS Northern bottlenose whale can Noise: loud seismic surveys can have negative impacts on Mature males and females look different. Males have a very large, white squared off forehead (it looks like they ran into a wall it's so large and flat!) Northern bottlenose whale dive up to 1,400 1. vulnerable whales and other marine species. male meters 6 to 9 meters and stay underwater for up to SOCIAL ANIMALS Often found groups between 4-10 individuals. hour while hunting for food female Males have been observed to head DIET butt as a form of aggression. Ship strikes: Northern bottlenose whales live close to a major trans-Atlantic shipping route. Squid, fish, herring, sea stars, shrimp and various small aquatic invertebrate species WWF www.wwf.ca/gully INFOGRAPHIC: memuco.net Laurentian Channel