Rikke Guldborg Hansen

The primary research field as a senior adviser at the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources involves studying the temporal and spatial distribution and abundance of marine mammals in the Arctic. I am particularly interested in investigating the effects of anthropogenic and climatic changes on Arctic marine mammals, with a focus on understanding the long-term effects of drivers affecting cetacean population health and dynamics.

In recent years, my focus has increased on bridging the gap between scientific and local knowledge, exploring ways to incorporate both perspectives into research initiatives specifically focusing on enhancing communication and outreach to managers and the general public.

Drone-pilot, driving license (B)

• Scientific Committee of the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission
• Scientific Working Group of the Canada/Greenland Joint Commission on Conservation and Management of Narwhal and Beluga (chair)
• NAMMCO Scientific Planning Committee of the North Atlantic Sighting Surveys-2024 (chair)
• Danish Marine Mammal Society (chair)
• CAFF Marine Mammal Expert Panel under the Arctic Council
• IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group
• Scientific working groups of the International Whaling Commission

• 42 years old, Mother of 2 with a passion for bouldering, water sports and cooking.
• Nationality: Danish

• Chair of research consortium for the North Atlantic Sightings Survey, 10,000,000 NOK, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 01/01/2024, ongoing, Conduct a coherent North Atlantic Sightings Survey for cetaceans in 2024. The excepted outcome will update abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans in the North Atlantic, enabling managers to make informed decisions on sustainable anthropogenic removals for the survey target species, as well as providing a strong basis for evaluating the long-term impact of anthropogenic activities for all species. In addition, a paper on the trend of abundance of cetaceans and a spatial distribution modelling paper is planned for scientific publication. I supervise a MSc. Student connected to the project.
• Inclusion of local knowledge in research, 3,100,000 DKR, Greenlandic Government, 01/01/2019, ongoing, Include ways to enhance collaboration and communication between users and researchers. The project included an aerial survey, training of observers and hunters for participation in the survey, ensuring collaboration and clear communication between users and researchers. A scientific paper on this process is currently in process.
• Development of new satellite transmitters for rorquals and dolphins, 3,000,000 NOK, NAMMCO and Government of Japan, Develop satellite transmitters and analyze data on rorquals and dolphins in the North Atlantic. Expected outcome is several scientific papers on the distribution patterns of rorquals and dolphins in the North Atlantic.

40 peer reviewed articles, 2 book chapters, 1 children book, 80+ scientific papers on abundance estimation, spatial modelling, satellite telemetry, catch statistics, diving behavior, disturbance and other marine mammal related research for international working groups in IWC, NAMMCO, JCNB JWG, CAFF, IUCN.

Memberships: Scientific Committee of the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission, Scientific Working Group of the Canada/Greenland Joint Commission on Conservation and Management of Narwhal and Beluga (chair), NAMMCO Scientific Planning Committee of the North Atlantic Sighting Surveys-2024 (chair), Danish Marine Mammal Society (chair), CAFF Marine Mammal Expert Panel under the Arctic Council, IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group, Scientific working groups of the International Whaling Commission.

• Apex predator hotspot in a productive oasis of the Greenland Sea, Ma Y, Bouchard C, Chawarski J and Hansen RG, In progress, 2024
• First documented movement of a humpback whale between the Cape Verde Islands and West Greenland, Chosson V, Wyss V, Jann B, Wenzel F, Sigurdsson GM, Simon M, Hansen RG, Jones L, Submitted, 2024
• Abundance and distribution of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) on the summer grounds in Greenland between 2007 and 2019, Hansen RG, Borchers DL and Heide-Jørgensen MP, In press, 2023
• Evidence of a narwhal (Monodon monoceros) summer ground in Nares Strait, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Box JE, Hansen RG and Jakobsson M, In press, 2024
• An evolutionarily distinct ringed seal in the Ilulissat Icefjord, Rosing-Asvid A, Löytynoja A, Momigliano P, Hansen RG, Scharff-Olsen C, Valtonen M, Kammonen J, Dietz R, Rigét F, Ferguson S, Lydersen C, Kovacs K, Holland D, Jernvall J, Auvinen P and Olsen MT, 2023, Mol. Ecol. 32, 5932–5943
• Possible signs of recovery of the nearly extirpated Spitsbergen bowhead whales: calves observed in east Greenland, Tervo OM, Louis M, Sinding MHS, Heide-Jørgensen MP and Hansen RG, Polar Research, 42, 2023
• Stuck in a corner: Anthropogenic noise threatens narwhals in their once pristine Arctic habitat, Tervo OM, Blackwell SB, Ditlevsen S, Garde E, Hansen RG, Samson AL, Conrad AS and Heide-Jørgensen MP, Sci. Adv.9,eade0440(2023), 2023
• Riffelprojektil fundet i strandet vågehval, Alstrup AKO, Knudsen PJT, Thøstesen CB, Ransborg C, Sigsgaard J, Hansen RG, Lauridsen H, Flora og Fauna 127:66-70, 2022
• Behavioral Response Study on Seismic Airgun and Vessel Exposures in Narwhals, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Blackwell SB, Tervo OM, Samson AL, Garde E, Hansen RG, Ngô MC, Conrad AS, Trinhammer P, Schmidt HC, Sinding MHS, Williams TM and Ditlevsen S, Front. Mar. Sci. 8: 658173, 2021
• Narwhals react to ship noise and airgun pulses embedded in background noise, Tervo OM, Blackwell SB, Ditlevsen S, Conrad AS, Samson AL, Garde E, Hansen RG, Mads Peter H-J, Biol. Lett. 17:20210220, 2021
• Developing a Precautionary Management Approach for the Eastern Canada-West Greenland Population of Bowhead Whales (Balaena mysticetus), Ferguson SH, Higdon JW, Hall PA, Hansen RG and Doniol-Valcroze T, Front. Mar. Sci. 8:709989, 2021
• Behavioral Response Study on Seismic Airgun and Vessel Exposures in Narwhals, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Blackwell SB, Tervo OM, Samson AL, Garde E, Hansen RG, Ngô MC, Conrad AS, Trinhammer P, Schmidt HC, Sinding M-HS, Williams TM and Ditlevsen S, Front. Mar. Sci., 8:658173, 2021
• Distribution, migrations, and ecology of the Atlantic and the Okhotsk Sea Populations, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Hansen RG, Shpak OV, Chapter 5 in The Bowhead Whale, Balaena mysticetus: Biology and Human Interactions, 2021
• Stocks, distribution and abundance, Garde E and Hansen RG, Chapter 4 in The Atlantic Walrus, 1st ed. Elsevier
• The Geometer: A New Device for Recording Angles in Visual Surveys, Hansen RG, Pike D, Thorgilsson B, Gunnlaugsson T and Lawson J, NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 11, 2020
• The impact of rising sea temperatures on an Arctic top predator, Chambault P, Tervo OM, Garde E, Hansen RG, Blackwell SB, Williams TM, Dietz R, Albertsen CM, Laidre KL and Heide-jørgensen MP, Scientific Reports 10(1), 18678, 2020
• Some like it cold: Temperature‐dependent habitat selection by narwhals, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Blackwell SB, Williams T, Sinding MHS, Skovrind M, Tervo OM, Hansen RG, Nielsen NH, Ngo MC and Ditlsevsen S, Ecology and evolution 10, 8073-8090, 2020
• Narwhal, Monodon monoceros, Catch Statistics in Greenland, 1862–2017, Garde E, Hansen RG and Heide-Jørgensen MP, Marine Fisheries Review 81(3-4), 105-115, 2020
• Global Review of the Conservation Status of Monodontid Stocks, Hobbs RC, Reeves RR, Prewitt JS, Desportes G, Breton-Honeyman K, Christensen T, Citta JJ, Ferguson SH, Frost KJ, Garde E, Gavrilo M, Ghazal M, Glazov DM, Gosselin J-F, Hammill M, Hansen RG, Harwood L, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Inglangasuk G, Kovacs KM, Krasnova VV, Kuznetsova DM, Lee DS, Lesage V, Litovka DI, Lorenzen ED, Lowry LF, Lydersen C, Matthews CJD, Meschersky IG, Mosnier A, O’Corry-Crowe G, Postma L, Quakenbush LT, Shpak OV, Skovrind M, Suydam RS and Watt CA, Marine Fisheries Review 81(3-4), 1-53, 2020
• Hunt allocation modelling for migrating marine mammals, Watt CA, Doniol-Valcroze T, Witting L, Hobbs R, Hansen RG, Lee DS, Marcoux M, Lesage V, Garde E, Ferguson SH and Heide-Jørgensen MP, Marine Fisheries Review 81(3-4), 125-136, 2020
• Narwhals require targeted conservation, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Garde E, Hansen RG, Tervo OM, Sinding MHS, Witting L, Marcoux M, Watt C, Kovacs KM and Reeves RR, Science 370:416-416, 2020
• Abundance of whales in West and East Greenland in summer 2015, Hansen RG, Boye TK, Larsen RS, Nielsen NH, Tervo O, Nielsen RD, Rasmussen MH, Sinding MHS and Heide-Jørgensen MP, NAMMCO Scientific Publication series 11, 2018
• Sea surface temperature predicts the movements of an Arctic cetacean: the bowhead whale, Chambault P, Albertsen CM, Patterson TA, Hansen RG, Tervo O, Laidre KL and Heide-Jørgensen MP, Scientific reports 8:9658, 2018
• Diving behavior of the Atlantic walrus in high arctic Greenland and Canada, Garde E, Jung-Madsen S, Ditlevsen S, Hansen RG, Zinglersen KB and Heide-Jørgensen MP, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 500: 89-99, 2018
• Oceanic movements, site fidelity and deep diving in harbour porpoises from Greenland show limited similarities to animals from the North Sea, Nielsen NH, Teilmann J, Sveegaard S, Hansen RG, Sinding MHS, Dietz R and Heide-Jørgensen MP, Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2018
• Spatial and temporal patterns of sound production in East Greenland narwhals, Blackwell SB, Tervo OM, Conrad AS, Sinding MHS, Hansen RG, Ditlevsen S and Heide-Jørgensen, Plos one 13(6): e0198295, 2018
• Narwhal sightings during aerial surveys over Melville Bay, West Greenland: A comparison between digital image analysis and real-time observations, Bröker K, Hansen RG, Leonard K, Koski WR and Heide-Jørgensen MP, Marine Mammal Science (35(4): 1253–1279, 2018
• Walrus Movements in Smith Sound: A Canada–Greenland Shared Stock, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Flora J, Andersen AO, Stewart REA, Nielsen NH and Hansen RG, Arctic 70(3):308, 2017
• Rebuilding beluga stocks in West Greenland, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Hansen RG, Fossette S, Nielsen NH, Borchers DL, Stern H and Witting L, Animal Conservation 20: 282–293, 2017
• Large numbers of marine mammals winter in the North Water polynya, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Sinding MHS, Nielsen NH, Rosing-Asvid A and Hansen RG, Polar Biology, 2016
• The predictable narwhal: Satellite tracking shows behavioural similarities between isolated subpopulations, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Nielsen NH, Hansen RG, Schmidt HC, Blackwell SB and Jørgensen OA, Journal of Zoology, 2015
• Trends in bowhead whales in West Greenland; Aerial surveys vs. genetic capture recapture, Rekdal SL, Hansen RG, Borehers D, Bachrnann L, Laidre KL, Wiig Ø, Nielsen NH, Fossette S, Tervo O and Heide-Jørgensen MP, Marine Mammal Science, 2014
• Stomach temperature of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) during feeding events, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Nielsen NH, Hansen RG and Blackwell S, Animal Biotelemetry 2:9, 2014
• Spatial trends in abundance of long-finned pilot whales, white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises in West Greenland, Hansen RG and Heide-Jørgensen MP, Journal of Marine Biology 160: 2929-2941, 2013
• Abundance of walruses in Eastern Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Laidre KL, Fossette S, Rasmussen M, Nielsen NH and Hansen RG, NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 2013
• Winter and spring feeding behavior of bowhead whales relative to prey, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Laidre KL, Nielsen NH, Hansen RG and Røstad A, Animal Biotelemetry 1-15, 2013
• Recent abundance of bowhead whales in Isabella Bay, Canada, Hansen RG, Heide-Jørgensen MP and Laidre KL, Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 12(3): 317-319, 2012
• Narwhals and seismic exploration: Is seismic noise increasing the risk of ice entrapment?, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Hansen RG, Westdal K, Reeves RR and Mosbech A, Biological Conservation 158: 50-54, 2012
• The significance of the North Water Polynya to Arctic top predators, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Burt ML, Hansen RG, Nielsen NH, Rasmussen M, Fossette S and Stern H, AMBIO 42: 596-610, 2012
• Rate of increase and current abundance of humpback whales in West Greenland, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Laidre KL, Hansen RG, Burt ML, Borchers DL, Hansén J, Harding K, Rasmussen M, Dietz R and Teilmann J, Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 12(1): 1-14, 2011
• Abundance of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) on the hunting grounds in Greenland, Heide-Jørgensen M P, Laidre KL, Burt ML, Borchers DL, Marques TA, Hansen RG, Rasmussen M and Fossette S, Journal of Mammalogy 91(5):1135–1151, 2010
• Estimates of minke whale abundance in West Greenland in 2007, Heide-Jørgensen M P, Witting L, Laidre KL, Hansen RG and Rasmussen M, Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 11(2):75-82, 2010