British Columbia Marine Mammals

From 1987 through 1995 most of my research was undertaken in southern British Columbia and the adjoining waters of Washington state. Although a lot of my research was focused on killer whales, I was involved with research on a number of species of marine mammals, primarily through the Marine Mammal Research Group in Victoria. In 1987 we established the Stranded Whale and Dolphin Program of B.C. and the B.C. Marine Mammal Sighting Program. Research undertaken through these programs or incidental to my Ph.D. research resulted in a number of publications and reports, listed below. PDF copies of most of these publications and reports are available from the highlighted links – if you are having problems opening any of the files you may need to upgrade your version of Acrobat Reader to version 5 or 6.

Publications are generally presented by species, though reports from the stranding program cover multiple species.

DALL’s and HARBOUR PORPOISE

Willis, P.M., B.J. Crespi, L.M. Dill, R.W. Baird and M.B. Hanson. 2004. Natural hybridization between Dall’s porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli) and harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Canadian Journal of Zoology 82:828-834. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W. 2003. Update COSEWIC status report on the harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena (Pacific Ocean population) in Canada. In COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena (Pacific Ocean population) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. pp. 1-22. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W. 1998. An interaction between Pacific white-sided dolphins and a neonatal harbor porpoise. Mammalia 62:129-134. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., P.M. Willis, T.J. Guenther, P.J. Wilson and B.N. White. 1998. An intergeneric hybrid in the family Phocoenidae. Canadian Journal of Zoology 76:198-204. Download PDF copy

Hanson, M.B., and R.W. Baird. 1998. Dall’s porpoise reactions to tagging attempts using a remotely-deployed suction-cup attached tag. Marine Technology Society Journal 32(2):18-23. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., and T.J. Guenther. 1995. Account of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) strandings and bycatches along the coast of British Columbia. Reports of the International Whaling Commission Special Issue 16:159-168. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., and M.B. Hanson. 1998. A preliminary analysis of the diving behavior of Dall’s porpoise in the transboundary waters of British Columbia and Washington. Pages 99-110 in Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act Implementation Program 1997. AFSC Processed Report 98-10.

Hanson, M.B., R.W. Baird and R.L. DeLong. 1998. Movements of tagged Dall’s porpoise in Haro Strait, Washington. Pages 111-119 in Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act Implementation Program 1997. AFSC Processed Report 98-10.

Baird, R.W., and T.J. Guenther. 1994. Status of porpoises in the British Columbia/Washington trans-boundary area: a Canadian perspective. Puget Sound Notes 34:5-8. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., T.J Guenther, R.J. Lewis, M.L. McAdie, and T.E. Cornish. 1994. An investigation into the causes of an unusual porpoise (Phocoena phocoena and Phocoenoides dalli) mortality event in southern British Columbia. Final report to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans under Contract No. IIHS3-050. Download PDF copy

Walker, W.A., M.B. Hanson, R.W. Baird and T.J. Guenther. 1998. Food habits of the harbor porpoise, Phocoena phocoena, and Dall’s porpoise, Phocoenoides dalli, in the inland waters of British Columbia and Washington. Pages 63-75 in Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act Implementation Program 1997. AFSC Processed Report 98-10. Download PDF copy

Hanson, M.B., and R.W. Baird. 1997. Dall’s porpoise reactions to tagging attempts using a remotely-deployed suction-cup tag. Document SC/49/SM8 submitted to the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee, September 1997.

Baird, R.W., and M.B. Hanson. 1996. Dall’s porpoise diving behaviour and reactions to tagging attempts using a remotely-deployed suction-cup tag. Report prepared under Contract No. 43ABNF601492 to the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, WA.

GRAY WHALES

Baird, R.W., P.J. Stacey, D.A. Duffus and K.M. Langelier. 2002. An evaluation of gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) mortality incidental to fishing operations in British Columbia, Canada. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 4:289-296. Download PDF copy

SHORT-FINNED PILOT WHALES

Baird, R.W., and P.J. Stacey. 1993. Sightings, strandings and incidental catches of short-finned pilot whales, Globicephala macrorhynchus, off the British Columbia coast. Reports of the International Whaling Commission Special Issue 14:475-479. Download PDF copy

Stacey, P.J., and R.W. Baird. 1993. Status of the short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 107:481-489. Download PDF copy

FALSE KILLER WHALES

Stacey, P.J., and R.W. Baird. 1991. Status of the false killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 105:189-197. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., K.M. Langelier and P.J. Stacey. 1989. First records of false killer whales, Pseudorca crassidens, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 103:368-371. Download PDF copy

PINNIPEDS

Baird, R.W. 2001. Status of harbour seals, Phoca vitulina, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 115:663-675.Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., and M.B. Hanson. 1997. Status of the northern fur seal, Callorhinus ursinus, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 111:263-269. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W. 1990. Elephant seals around southern Vancouver Island. The Victoria Naturalist 47(2):6-7.

Stacey, P.J., and R.W. Baird. 1989. Harbour seal reactions to killer whales. The Victoria Naturalist 45(4):16-17.

OTHER SPECIES

Baird, R.W. 2003. Update COSEWIC status report on the humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae in Canada. In COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. pp 1-25. Download PDF copy

Willis, P.M., and R.W. Baird. 1998. Status of the dwarf sperm whale (Kogia simus) in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 112:114-125. Download PDF copy

Willis, P.M., and R.W. Baird. 1998. Sightings and strandings of beaked whales on the west coast of Canada. Aquatic Mammals 24:21-25. Download PDF copy

Stacey, P.J., D.A. Duffus and R.W. Baird. 1997. A preliminary evaluation of incidental mortality of small cetaceans in coastal fisheries in British Columbia, Canada. Marine Mammal Science 13:321-326.

Baird, R.W., D. Nelson, J. Lien and D.W. Nagorsen. 1996. The status of the pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 110:525-532. Download PDF copy

Jarman, W.M., R.J. Norstrom, D.C.G. Muir, B. Rosenburg, M. Simon and R.W. Baird. 1996. Levels of organochlorine compounds, including PCDDs and PCDFs, in the blubber of cetaceans from the west coast of North America.Marine Pollution Bulletin 32:426-436. Download PDF copy

Barlow, J., R.W. Baird, J.E. Heyning, K. Wynne, A.M. Manville, L.F. Lowry, D. Hanan, J. Sease and V.N. Burkanov. 1994. A review of cetacean and pinniped mortality in coastal fisheries along the west coast of the USA and Canada and the east coast of the Russian Federation. Reports of the International Whaling Commission Special Issue 15:405-426. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., P.J. Stacey and H. Whitehead. 1993. Status of the striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 107:455-465. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., E.L. Walters and P.J. Stacey. 1993. Status of the bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, with special reference to Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 107:466-480. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., and P.J. Stacey. 1991. Status of the Risso’s dolphin, Grampus griseus, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 105:233-242. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., and P.J. Stacey. 1991. Status of the northern right whale dolphin, Lissodelphis borealis, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 105:243-250. Download PDF copy

Stacey, P.J., and R.W. Baird. 1991. Status of the Pacific white-sided dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 105:219-232. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W. 1994. A program to monitor the status of small cetaceans in British Columbia. Pages 122-130 in Proceedings of the Pacific Ecozone Workshop, February 1-3, 1994, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney, B.C. Canadian Wildlife Service Technical Report Series No. 222. Download PDF copy

Calambokidis, J., and R.W. Baird. 1994. Status of marine mammals in the Strait of Georgia, Puget Sound, and the Juan de Fuca Strait, and potential human impacts. Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 1948:282-300. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W. 1989. Whales in Georgia Strait and nearby waters: their presence and relative abundance. Discovery 18:131-132.

Baird, R.W., and P.J. Stacey. 1989. An annotated list of the marine mammals of British Columbia. The Victoria Naturalist 46(2):12-14. Download PDF

Stacey, P.J., and R.W. Baird. 1989. Interactions between seabirds and marine mammals. The Victoria Naturalist 45(7):9-10.

YEARLY STRANDING REPORTS

Willis, P.M., T.J. Guenther, R.L. Bates, R.W. Baird and M.L. McAdie. 1996. Strandings and fishing gear entanglements of cetaceans off the west coast of Canada in 1995. International Whaling Commission Meeting Document SC/48/O2. Download PDF

Guenther, T.J., R.W. Baird, R.L. Bates, P.M. Willis, R.L. Hahn and S.G. Wischniowski. 1995. Strandings and fishing gear entanglement of cetaceans off the west coast of Canada in 1994. International Whaling Commission Meeting Document SC/47/06. Download PDF

Baird, R.W., S.G. Wischniowski, T.J. Guenther, M.L. McAdie, and T.E. Cornish. 1994. Strandings and fishing gear entanglements of cetaceans on the west coast of Canada in 1993. International Whaling Commission Meeting Document SC/46/O5. Download PDF copy

Guenther, T.J., R.W. Baird, J.K.B. Ford, K.M. Langelier, M.L. McAdie, S.G. Wishniowski and T.E. Cornish. 1993. Cetacean strandings and entanglement in fishing gear on the west coast of Canada during 1992. International Whaling Commission Meeting Document SC/45/O 4. Download PDF copy

Guenther, T.J., R.W. Baird, K.M. Langelier, J.K.B. Ford, G.M. Ellis, P.J. Stacey, and T.E. Cornish. 1992. Cetacean strandings and entanglement in fishing gear on the Canadian west coast during 1991. International Whaling Commission Meeting Document SC/44/O15. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., P.J. Stacey and K.M. Langelier. 1991. Strandings and incidental mortality of cetaceans on the B.C. coast, 1990. International Whaling Commission Meeting Document SC/43/O 1. Download PDF copy

Langelier, K.M., P.J. Stacey and R.W. Baird. 1990. Stranded whale and dolphin program of B.C.-1989 report. Wildlife Veterinary Report 3(1):10-11. Download PDF copy

Stacey, P.J., R.W. Baird and K.M. Langelier. 1989. Stranded whale and dolphin program 1988 report. Wildlife Veterinary Report (1):10-11. Download PDF copy

Baird, R.W., K. Langelier and P.J. Stacey. 1988. Stranded whale and dolphin program of B.C. – 1987 report. Wildlife Veterinary Report 1(1):9-12. Download PDF copy

Langelier, K.M., P.J. Stacey, R.W. Baird and R. Marchetti. 1988. 1987 cetacean strandings in British Columbia. Pages 79-82 in Proceedings of the Joint Conference of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians and American Association of Wildlife V eterinarians, November 6-10, 1988. Toronto.

KILLER WHALES See the more detailed page just on killer whales 

Last Updated August 2004 by Robin W. Baird