NRDPFC

North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis)

The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) was extensively hunted by whalers from the 11th century through the beginning of
the 20th century, resulting in a current estimate of approximately 350 individuals, making it one of the most endangered large mammals. Despite over 60 years of international protection, the North Atlantic right whale has shown little to no signs of recovery and is hovering
on the brink of extinction.

The two primary factors identified as preventing the recovery of this species are:
(1) mortality due to anthropogenic factors (ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear).
(2) low birth rate (three times lower than its known potential).

There are currently intensive efforts to reduce mortality due to anthropogenic factors. However, the factors causing the low birth rate are unclear, but hypotheses include extrinsic factors such as habitat disturbance, food availability and pollution, and intrinsic factors such as reduced genetic variability and inbreeding.

Genetic analysis provides a unique and powerful tool to obtain information about this species that is otherwise unavailable. Our laboratory is using genetics to study reproduction in this species to identify the role of intrinsic factors, in the forms of low genetic variability and inbreeding, on the recovery and survival of the North Atlantic right whale. In addition, we are also using genetics to obtain data on other crucial aspects of right whale behavior, reproduction, and habitat use patterns that are unobtainable through behavioral studies alone, but essential for effective conservation actions.

[Figure 1] Image of a gel showing the profile of ten whales at a microsatellite locus.

At the Natural Resources DNA Profiling and Forensic Centre at Trent University, we have an archival right whale tissue and DNA bank that currently contains samples from over 75% of the population.
The genetic analyses that we perform are based on individual-specific genetic profiles that consist of:
a sex-specific molecular marker; sequence analysis of the mitochondrial control region; genotype analysis at microsatellite loci; and sequence analysis of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC).

In addition, we have created an archival right whale genomic library to facilitate the identification and isolation of new molecular markers. We are constantly updating and adding molecular markers to the individual-specific genetic profiles to facilitate high resolution of analyses and a better understanding
of these whales.

Our laboratory is part of the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium. The Consortium functions as a platform for the sharing of data and formation of collaborations between researchers studying different aspects of the North Atlantic right whale. The objective of the Consortium is to maximize the information obtained from different aspects of right whale research, and to facilitate the incorporation these data
into conservation efforts.

For further information please contact Tim Frasier or Brad White at the NRDPFC.

The agenda and abstracts for the upcoming meeting has been posted at www.rightwhaleweb.org.

The November 2008 issue of the Right Whale News is available on our website at the following link.
www.gepinstitute.com/RWN_November_2008.pdf

If you cannot open this link, go to our website - www.gepinstitute.com - and open the current issue at the Right Whale News tab.

Right Whale Consortium: Installation of EG# 1909 and fetus at the New Bedford Whaling Museum

Publications

Frasier, T.R., Hamilton, P.K., Brown, M.W., Kraus, S.D. and White, B.N.(2010). Reciprocal exchange and subsequent adoption of calves by two North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). Aquatic Mammals36(2) 115-120.

Gillett, Roxanne, Timothy R. Frasier, Rosalind M. Rolland, Bradley N. White (2010). Molecular identification of individual North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) using free-floating feces. Marine Mammal Science doi:10.1111/j.1748-7692.2010.00389.x

McLeod, B.M. and Bradley N. White (2009) Tracking mtDNA heteroplasmy through multiple generations in the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis. J. Heredity doi:10,1093.jhered/esp098.

Macleod, B.A., Brown, M.W., Frasier, T.L., and White, B.N. (2010). DNA Profile of a 16th century western North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis). Conservation Genetics Vol 11, No 1, 339-345.

McLeod, B.A. M.W. Brown, M.J. Moore, W Stevens, S,H. Barkham, MBarkham and B.N. White (2008) Did 16th century Basque whalers
target North Atlantic right whales in the western North Atlantic? Arctic, 61, 61-75.

Gillett, R,M., R.M. Rolland and B.N. White (2008) Quantification and genetic profiling of DNA Isolated from free-floating feces of the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) Marine Mammal Science24, 341-355.

Frasier,Timothy R., Philip K. Hamilton, Toolika Rastogi, Moira W. Brown, Lisa A. Conger, Amy R. Knowlton, Marilyn K. Marx, Christopher K. Slay, Scott D. Kraus, and Bradley N. White (2007. Patterns of male reproductive success in the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Mol. Ecol.16, 5277-5293.

Frasier, T., Mcleod, B., Bower, R., Brown, M., and B.N. White (2007) Right Whales Past and Present as Revealed by their Genes. In the “Urban Whale” edited by S. Kraus and R. Rolland. Harvard University Press pp 200-231.

Frasier, T.R., T. Rastogi, M.W. Brown, S.D. Kraus, and B.N. White (2006). Isolation of tetranucleotide microsatellite loci and development and validation of multiplex reactions for the study of right whale species (genus; Eubalaena). Mol. Ecol. Notes 6, 1025-1028.

Rastogi, T. Brown, M.W., McLeod, B., Frasier, T.R., Grenier, R. Cumbaa., S.L., Nadarajah, J, and White B.N. (2004) Genetic Analysis of 16th Century whale bones prompts a revision of the impact of Basque whaling on right and bowhead whales in the western North Atlantic. Can. J. Zool. 82, 1647-1653.

Cumbaa, S.L., M.W. Brown and B.N. White (2002). Zooarchaelogical and Molecular Perspectives on Basque Whaling in 16th century Labrador. Canadian Zooarchaeology 20, 6-15.

Waldick, R. C.; S. Kraus; M. Brown and B. N. White. 2002. Evaluating the effects of historic bottle neck events: An assessment of microsatellite variability in the endangered, North Atlantic right whale. Molecular Ecology, 11(11):2241-2249.
Rosenbaum, HC, Brownell, RL, Brown, M, Schaeff, C, Portway, V, White, BN, Malik, S, Patene, L, Clapham, P, Hamilton, P, Moore, M, Payne, M, Tynan, CT, Rowntree, V, and Desalle, R (2000) A genetic review of the inter- relationships between right whales in different oceans. Mol. Ecol. 9, 1793-1802.

Malik, S., Brown, MW, Kraus, SD, and White, BN (2000). Analysis of mitochondrial DNA diversity within and between North and South Atlantic right whales. Marine Mammal Science 16, 545-558.

Waldick, RC, Brown, M, and White, BN. (1999). Isolation and Characterization of microsatellite loci from the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Mol. Ecol.8, 1763-1765

Malik, S, Brown, MW, Kraus, SD, Knowlton, A, Hamilton, P and White BN (1999). Assessment of mitochondrial DNA structuring and nursery use in the North Atlantic right whale. Can. J. Zool. 77, 1-6.

Rosenbaum,HC, Egan,MG, Clapham,PJ, Brownell,RL, Malik, S, Brown, M, White,BN, Walsh,P, DeSalle, R. (2000) Assessing a century of genetic change in North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). Cons. Biol. 114, 1837-1847.

Schaeff C, Kraus S, Perkins J, Payne R, White BN. (1997) Genetic assessment of North Atlantic Right Whales using DNA Fingerprinting. Can. J. Zool. 75, 1073-1080.

Brown MW, SD Krauss, DE Gaskin and BN White (1994) Sexual composition of the North Atlantic Right Whale population determined by visual and molecular sex identification: significance to population recovery. Marine Mammal Science 10: 253-265.

Schaeff C, SD Krauss, M Brown and BN White (1993) Assessment of the population structure of western North Atlantic Right Whales (Eubalaena glacialis) based on sighting and mtDNA data. Can. J. Zool. 71: 339-345.

Schaeff C, S Kraus, M Brown, P Boag, R Payne, J Perkins, D Gaskin and BN White (1991) Mitochondrial DNA variation with and among the right whale species. International Whaling Commission, Special Issue 13, 217-223.

Natural Resources DNA Profiling and Forensic Centre
DNA Building, Trent University,
2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, K9J 7B8
Phone: (705) 748-1011 ext. 7126| Fax (705) 748-1132
Email: info@nrdpfc.ca