The social structure of Bigg’s killer whales differs from the tight-knit pod structure found in resident populations. 1994;Baird & Stacey, 1989;Wilson et al. key research activity in the recovery strategy for this Threatened population. Here we describe observations of an adult male killer whale (Orcinus orca) and his postreproductive mother killing a neonate belonging to an unrelated female from the same population in the North Pacific. (1987), Baird & Stacey (1989), Ford et al. Laterally bent dorsal fins are rarely observed in free-ranging populations of cetaceans, contrary to captivity, where most killer whale Orcinus orca adult males have laterally collapsed fins. The A23 matriline of Northern Resident Killer Whales / Orca has been seen by thousands and thousands of people. Six species of salmonids were identified from prey fragments, with chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) being the most common. 47 that post-reproductive female killer whales may play a role in acquiring mates for their adult male offspring suggests that T068's active involvement in this event was sexually selected, especially considering that T068A is of a reproductively mature age. These records are the showed similarities in peak frequency with other transient populations. This resulted in the production of the first catalog of Prince William Sound killer whales (Ellis, 1984); the catalog was updated in … Field studies on these populations have been on-going since the early 1970s. Ford et al. Different matrilines occurred in different seasons, time periods, and subareas. Group size was larger in 2004-2010 than in 1987-1993. The inner coast population was composed of 304 individuals identified during 2988 encounters between 1990 and 2011, and this dataset was used to analyse movement and habitat use patterns. These studies are based on 1995. Historically, Fin Whales (Balaenoptera photo-identification These males appear to have no strong or long-term relationships with any individuals, and adult male - adult male associations occur significantly less often than expected by chance. Additionally, 12 In the eastern North Pacific, the three sympatric killer whale lineages have distinct dietary specializations: one feeds primarily on marine mammals, another on salmon, and the third appears to specialize on sharks. A total of 202 whales were grouped into 9 pods. White (2010). Photo-identification catalogue and status of the northern resident killer whale population in 2014. 2019. Genetic stock identification of prey samples indicate that killer whales feed on Chinook salmon originating from a variety of regions between Southeast Alaska and Oregon, with stocks in the Fraser River system being of particular importance both coast-wide and in Critical Habitats. The median number of individuals identified annually was similar for both populations (AT1=7; GOA=8), but mark-recapture estimates showed the AT1 whales to have much higher fidelity to the study area, whereas the GOA whales had a higher exchange of individuals. Given the central importance of the social network within killer whale population dynamics, such as the maintenance of cooperation and cultural transmission of information, shifts in social network structure caused by environmental processes may have significant ecological and evolutionary consequences. There was no predominant sex or age class involved in these events, but among the five individuals reported herein, all three adults stranded on sandy shores, whereas both juveniles stranded on rocky outcroppings while hunting harbour seals. Although the information in this report may be useful for future conservation and management of resident killer whales and their primary prey, further studies are needed to resolve existing uncertainties about year-round diet composition and feeding rates. All individuals survived the LSEs, although one adult male was never seen again. The two forms do not mix, and differ in seasonal distribution, social structure, and behaviour. The matriline, a mother and her offspring of both sexes, is the basic unit of both resident and transient killer whale societies. Rendell, Luke & Whitehead, Hal. Pacific coast have been conducted annually since 1973. 2007, ... existing long-term catalogs, individual killer whales were identified by unique markings (Bigg et al. Data Management Plan for Catalog Item ID: 17900. This area comprises 40,358 square km, or about 8.9% of Canadian waters off the west coast. 2000. catalogue of individuals in this population, displayed in a matrilineal framework. pp. An updated analysis confirms the long-term correlation between survival of resident killer whales and range-wide Chinook abundance, though recent declines in Chinook abundance have not yet been associated with increased mortality rates. Transient (Bigg’s) Orca. It was thought that these killer whales maintained a … Baird, R.W. The outer coast subpopulation comprised 217 individuals that were rarely encountered. WCT killer whales are highly mobile and range over the entire BC coast throughout the year. Estimates of Chinook salmon consumption based on daily prey energy requirements and diet composition suggest that resident killer whale populations at their current abundance may require over 1,000,000 Chinook per year, roughly equivalent to recent annual levels of harvests of this species in commercial and recreational marine fisheries. These are individuals from the West Coast Transient population as well as other genetic populations of Bigg’s killer whales found in western Canada, most of which were not seen frequently enough over the years to include in the last photo-identification catalogue. Behav. These results indicate occasional presence of transient killer whales in the southeastern Chukchi Sea. For the entire Russian Far East, the total number of photo IDs stands at more than 2,000 fish-eating orcas and 130 transient mammal-eating orcas. 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