Six out of seven whales at risk

Of seven populations of beluga whales, only that in the Beaufort Sea is now considered not to be at risk of extinction, and the endangered Peary caribou continues to decline, says a study released last week by the national Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

The study places the Eastern Arctic bowhead whale, Western arctic bowhead whale and the Eastern Hudson Bay beluga whale on the list of species facing imminent extinction. Mathematical models predict the species will likely disappear in less than 10 to 15 years unless overhunting stops.

The beluga of Ungava Bay and the Peary Caribou are also endangered. Numbers of caribou have declined by about 72 per cent over the last three generations, mostly because of catastrophic die-off likely related to severe icing episodes.

Peregrine falcon and Cumberland Sound belugas could also become endangered unless something is done to protect them.

The good news is that beluga of the Eastern High Arctic-Baffin Bay and Western Hudson Bay are relatively numerous. They are believed to be especially sensitive to human activities or natural events.