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Residents and Transients and Offshores Oh MY!
Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) of the Pacific Northwest
Residents and Transients and Offshores Oh MY!
Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) of the Pacific Northwest
Wednesday, 23 April 2008Wednesday, 23 April 2008
OutlineOutline
• Taxonomy, Distribution, Behaviors
• Ecotypes• Southern Residents
ConservationEcology
• Take home • My work
• Taxonomy, Distribution, Behaviors
• Ecotypes• Southern Residents
ConservationEcology
• Take home • My work
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Odontoceti
Family: Delphinidae
Killer Whale ClassificationKiller Whale Classification
copyright © 2003 Uko Gorter Illustrations, all rights reservedcopyright © 2003 Uko Gorter Illustrations, all rights reserved
DistributionDistribution
Matriline
Pod
Community
• group of related whales linked by maternal descent, highly cohesive groups (Picture by Jessica Riggin)
• group of related whales linked by maternal descent, highly cohesive groups (Picture by Jessica Riggin)
• group of related matrilines, share common ancestor, matrilines travel more often together in their own pods than in other pods
• group of related matrilines, share common ancestor, matrilines travel more often together in their own pods than in other pods
• group of pods that regularly associate with each other• group of pods that regularly associate with each other
DefinitionsDefinitions
• Spy-hopping
• Tail-slapping
• Breaching
• Swim speed~ min COT = 2.6-3.0 m/s
• Ave forage speed~ 1.6 m/s
• Spy-hopping
• Tail-slapping
• Breaching
• Swim speed~ min COT = 2.6-3.0 m/s
• Ave forage speed~ 1.6 m/s
Common BehaviorsCommon Behaviors
EcotypesEcotypes
OffshoresOffshores
• Distribution
• Feeding ecology
• Group size
• Distribution
• Feeding ecology
• Group size
Offshore Distribution MapOffshore Distribution Map
TransientsTransients
• Distribution
• Feeding Ecology
• Morphology
• Vocalization
• Group Size
• Distribution
• Feeding Ecology
• Morphology
• Vocalization
• Group Size
Transient Feeding EcologyTransient Feeding Ecology
ResidentsResidents
Feeding EcologyMorphologyVocalizationGroup SizeDistribution
Feeding EcologyMorphologyVocalizationGroup SizeDistribution
Map from NMML, Krahn et al. 2004Map from NMML, Krahn et al. 2004
Resident Killer Whale DistributionResident Killer Whale Distribution
Ford et al. 2005
Northern and Southern ResidentsNorthern and Southern Residents
• 3 pods J,K,L with 85-90 individuals
• Annual photo ID surveys since 1970s
• 3 pods J,K,L with 85-90 individuals
• Annual photo ID surveys since 1970s
Southern ResidentsSouthern Residents
Surveys conducted by the Center for Whale Research
DistributionDistribution
• Summer distribution inland
• Winter distribution less known, difference among pods
• Summer distribution inland
• Winter distribution less known, difference among pods
Hauser et al. 2007
British Columbia
Washington
Population TrendPopulation Trend
Data from Center for Whale ResearchData from Center for Whale Research
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
1974 1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004
Year
Nu
mb
er o
f In
div
idu
als
1974 1979 1984 1989 1990 1994 1999
Nu
mb
er o
f In
div
idu
als
70
90
100
80
60
NMFS received petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, to list species under ESA, 2001
NMFS received petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, to list species under ESA, 2001
NMFS conducted a status review (see tech memo 2002)
Petition action not warranted, did not meet criteria under the ESA
NMFS conducted a status review (see tech memo 2002)
Petition action not warranted, did not meet criteria under the ESA
Conservation & ManagementConservation & Management
Court appeal in 2002Biological Review TeamListed as endangered under the ESA in 2005/2006Recovery Plan
Court appeal in 2002Biological Review TeamListed as endangered under the ESA in 2005/2006Recovery Plan
Conservation & ManagementConservation & Management
Potential Risk FactorsPotential Risk Factors
• Vessel disturbance• Vessel disturbance
• Quality and quantity of prey• Quality and quantity of prey
• Contaminants such as PCBs• Contaminants such as PCBs
Vessel DisturbanceVessel Disturbance
Whale watch guidelines suggest boaters approach no closer than 100m, no leapfrogging
Land-based study to test effects of “leapfrogging”
Williams et al. 2002
Vessel DisturbanceVessel Disturbance
Williams et al. 2002
CommunicationCommunication
• Pods share discrete call types
• Whistles, pulsed calls, clicks
• Pods share discrete call types
• Whistles, pulsed calls, clicks
CommunicationCommunication
• EcholocationResidents-
4% of time, or 27X more than transients
click trains – 7 sec., or 2X longer than transients
Transients-isolated clicks, 12X/hr
**passive listening
• EcholocationResidents-
4% of time, or 27X more than transients
click trains – 7 sec., or 2X longer than transients
Transients-isolated clicks, 12X/hr
**passive listening
Barrett-Lennard et al. 1996
CommunicationCommunication
Barrett-Lennard et al. 1996
Resident click train and click echoesResident click train and click echoes
Transient click train, uneven spacingTransient click train, uneven spacing
Quality and Quantity of PreyQuality and Quantity of Prey
• Studies show importance of Chinook
• Issues
Chinook have high lipid content = possibly high levels of contaminants
Sharp decline in Chinook abundance in 1990s
• Studies show importance of Chinook
• Issues
Chinook have high lipid content = possibly high levels of contaminants
Sharp decline in Chinook abundance in 1990s
Ford et al. 2005
Quality and Quantity of PreyQuality and Quantity of Prey
Ford et al. 2005
Coastal regions associated with chinook salmon abundance estimates
Coastal regions associated with chinook salmon abundance estimates
Quality and Quantity of PreyQuality and Quantity of Prey
Ford et al. 1998
Other prey includes:chum, coho, herring, rockfish, halibut
Other prey includes:chum, coho, herring, rockfish, halibut
ContaminantsContaminants
• PCBs used in electrical transformers, paints, paper, pesticides…
• PCBs used in electrical transformers, paints, paper, pesticides…
Breivik et al. 2002
Immune system suppression
Reproductive failure or impairment
Endocrine disruption
Immune system suppression
Reproductive failure or impairment
Endocrine disruption
Potential adverse health effects of PCBsPotential adverse health effects of PCBs
Ross 2006Ross 2006
ContaminantsContaminants
Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program
Spatial trends in the concentration of PCBs in Chinook in Puget Sound. 1992-1995
Spatial trends in the concentration of PCBs in Chinook in Puget Sound. 1992-1995
ContaminantsContaminants
Ross et al. 2000
Ylitalo et al. 2001
ContaminantsContaminants
What is reason for decline?What is reason for decline?
Vessel DisturbanceDo changes in direction/speed change energetic requirements?Does vessel noise effect hearing?
Vessel DisturbanceDo changes in direction/speed change energetic requirements?Does vessel noise effect hearing?
What is reason for decline?What is reason for decline?
Quality/Quantity of preyWhat are they eating in the winter months?Will they change prey when Chinook numbers are down?
Quality/Quantity of preyWhat are they eating in the winter months?Will they change prey when Chinook numbers are down?
What is reason for decline?What is reason for decline?
ContaminantsHow do the high loads of contaminants affect survival and fecundity?
ContaminantsHow do the high loads of contaminants affect survival and fecundity?
Take Home MessageTake Home Message
• Killer whales are found throughout the worlds oceans
• Offshores, transients and residents differ in several ways including diet, group size, communication, and behavior
• SRKW are listed as endangered under the ESA
• Factors of decline may include :1) vessel disturbance, 2) quality and quantity of prey 3) and contaminants
• Killer whales are found throughout the worlds oceans
• Offshores, transients and residents differ in several ways including diet, group size, communication, and behavior
• SRKW are listed as endangered under the ESA
• Factors of decline may include :1) vessel disturbance, 2) quality and quantity of prey 3) and contaminants
Thanks!