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

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


• 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


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


Ford et al. 2005

Coastal regions associated with chinook salmon abundance estimates

Coastal regions associated with chinook salmon abundance estimates


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


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


Ross et al. 2000

Ylitalo et al. 2001


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?


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?


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!

residents and transients and offshores oh my! killer whales (orcinus orca) of the pacific northwest...

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