Orca Whales

Killer Whales

The Killer Whales, are the ultimate predators in any ocean in the world and serve as ambassadors of one of the richest marine ecosystems on our planet However, the bio-diversity in the Pacific Northwest is astonishing and includes many other marine mammals: Minke whales, Gray whales, Humpback whales, Dall's porpoise, Harbor porpoise, California sea lions, Harbor seals, Elephant seals, Stellar sea lions, and one cannot forget the unbelievable range of marine birds.

Killer whales along the coast of British Columbia and Washington are among the best-studied whales in the world. Intensive field research in this region has been undertaken for almost 35 years. These studies have provided increased knowledge about these whales, yet there still is much to be learned. Orcinus orca, better known as killer whales, are whales with teeth and are the largest member of the dolphin family. They are found in all of the world's oceans. Orcas are mainly black with white markings: on their bellies, behind their dorsal fins (saddle patches) and on the sides of their heads.

There are three genetically distinct groups of Orca that roam our oceans: Resident, Transient and Offshore.

Resident Killer Whales:

Resident Orcas travel in large family groups, or pods (sometimes exceeding 80 animals at one time). They are extremely vocal and their diet consists of approx. 32 different species of fish, primarily salmon. To locate their prey, they make noises that bounce back from nearby objects. This is called echolocation. With the help of sound, they can build a picture of their underwater surroundings. (Orca sounds)

Resident killer whales on the BC coast are divided into two groups, the NORTHERN community and the SOUTHERN community.

The population of Orcas that reside in the waters surrounding southern Vancouver Island is made up of three pods; the J, K and L pods. These pods are commonly referred to as the Southern Residents. They frequent the Pacific Northwest area in the summer months, feasting on salmon populations that are running from the Pacific Ocean to the Fraser River to spawn (April-October). The Southern Residents have been researched for the last 35 years and each Orca has been photo-identified (picture ID, named, aged). The markings on their backs, which are behind the dorsal fin, are called saddle patches. These 'saddle patches' are essential like a human fingerprint, which allows for the approximately 87 Orcas to be individually identified. The three Southern Resident pods mate amongst each other and do not interbreed with the Northern Residents.

Transient Killer Whales:

Transient Orcas travel in small groups (approx 1-8 animals), vocalize infrequently and eat marine mammals, including seals, porpoise and other whales. Transients are opportunistic eaters. They do not vocalize as much as resident killer whales because their prey has ears. (Orca sounds)

A more successful hunting strategy used by transients is to be quiet (stealth-like) and try to surprise their prey.

Vigorous displays, such as breaches and playing, are seen less frequently in transients than residents, for fear of their prey being alerted to their impending approach. The occasions when transients do show a lot of surface activity are during the act of killing their prey. Depending on the size of the animal being killed, it can be tossed around like a tennis ball, thrown between individuals using powerful tail slaps, or forced underwater repeatedly until exhausted and drowned.

Transients can be seen all along the western coast of North America, from Glacier Bay in Alaska to the southern California coast. They tend to hug the coastline, checking out each cove for unsuspecting prey that will make their next meal. They are sometimes seen far from shore, although the extent of their range in the open ocean is unknown. Transients can be seen year-round.

Offshore Killer Whales:

Offshore Orcas travel in very large groups, use frequent vocalizations and a great deal of echolocation (Orca sounds).

It is thought that these killer whales feed on schooling fish, however nothing has been confirmed and the possibility that off-shores also take marine mammals cannot be ruled out. Many details about offshore Orcas are still unknown, as they were only discovered in the early 90's. They tend to spend most of their time far from the coastline in very open and exposed waters.

These whales have a large proportion of nicks and scarring, relative to transient and resident killer whales, and one hypothesis is that sharks could be an item on their menu.

Most encounters have taken place near the Queen Charlotte Islands and 15 or more kilometers off the West Coast of Vancouver Island. However, until just recently (2003 & 2004) we had a very large community of Off-shores on several occasions travel into the protected waters of the Pacific Northwest (120+ animals). This was a very unexpected pleasure, as many of us had never seen such a strong presence of this distinct group of Orca in our area before.

Orca Sounds

Orcas vocalize while going about their various activities. The clicks you hear are the sounds Orcas use to echo-locate (search) for food and other underwater objects. The other sounds are calls that the whales use to communicate with each other.

The forehead (or melon of an Orca) is used to generate the wide variety of sounds the whale is capable of producing. Sounds are generated when the whale forces air in and out of the complex network of passages and cavities in the melon. You can learn more about and hear samples of echolocation and vocalizations provided on our own website (click to hear), and you may also download the file.

Resident, transient, and offshore Orcas have very different vocabularies. Both the sound of the calls and the number of calls vary substantially from population to population.

Transient Orcas vocalize significantly less than residents because they normally don't use sound while foraging for food. Residents will send out calls to other residents and use sonar clicks to locate their prey. Transients, on the other hand, usually hunt silently, listening and looking for their prey. It is speculated that the reason for this is that the dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions that constitute the transients primary prey could recognize transient calls and thereby rob the transients of the advantage of surprise. Transients normally begin to vocalize during or after an attack.

So, enjoy the following clips:

RESIDENTS:

• J1 pod foraging.
• j1-f.ra [120K
• J clan.
• j-clan.ra [59K]

OFF-SHORES:

Off-shores in Johnstone Strait.

• off-shores.ra [86K]
• TRANSIENTS:
• Transients in Johnstone Strait.
• transients.ra [98K]

a 'marine mammal guide' is available on-line for more detailed information about some of the local marine mammals in our area.

Other Whales

Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus):

• longest migration of any mammal in the world.
• they migrate from the Baja/Mexico to Alaska in the spring & return to the Baja in the winter.
• some are resident in local waters in the Pacific Northwest
• a healthy population in the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean population is extinct.
• in 1994 they were removed from the US Endangered Species List with a population of over 20,000
Benthic feeders, they feed on the bottom of the ocean floor.
• slow moving animals, rather like grazing cattle.
• do not have a dorsal fin but rather a series of 6-12 "knuckles" along the dorsal ridge
adults may weigh up to 35 tonnes
• adults reach a maximum length of 40 ft (14 m)
• newborn calves are about 15 ft (5 m) long

Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae):

• has a small curved dorsal fin on a prominent hump on its back
• name means "giant wings", refers to their large front flippers that reach a length of 4m (15ft) one-third of it's entire body length.
• dark grey to black (top side), with a much lighter mottled black and white on the (under) side. This color pattern extends to the fluke.
• adult males measure 12-14m (48ft),
• adult females measure 13-15m (50ft).
• they weigh 22,680-36,287 kg (79,831lbs).
• they are known for their 'fluking' or 'sounding', showing of their tails
• found in all of the world's oceans, although they generally prefer near shore and near-island habitats for both feeding and breeding.
• feed on krill, small shrimp-like crustaceans, and various kinds of small fish.
• each whale eats up to 1361kg (2994lbs) of food a day.
• they mate during their winter migration to warmer waters off the Hawaiian Islands

Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata):

• pronounced "minky"
• distribution is global
• have the nickname 'stinky minky', known for their "bad breath" - you can sometimes smell them before you see them
• throat is pleated to allow it to expand when feeding (50-70 ventral grooves)
• feed on bait balls, large quantities of small schooling fish, most commonly herring
• sometimes lunge feed at the surface
• cooperatively feed with seals, birds, and other aquatic animals
this is the whale that is being hunted by Japan and Norway today (illegally)
• is the smallest baleen whale - maximum length of 30 ft (9.5 m)
• weigh up to 10 tonnes
• over 40 photo identified in local waters that appear to return each summer, and become resident,but generally are found alone

Other Mammals

Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina):

• distribution is north of the equator
• found at various haul-out (rocky outcrops) sites around the Victoria area
• 10's of thousands of Harbor Seals are found along the coasts of Vancouver Island
• 1 pup per female & approx 10,000 pups born around Victoria each year
• pups are born from mid July to mid September around Victoria
• pups weigh about 20 lbs (10 kg) at birth
• pups suckle for 4-6 weeks
• adults are 4-5 ft (1.5 m) long
• adults weigh about 150 lbs (70 kg)
• are opportunistic hunters eating anything, but feed primarily on herring, hake and other small bait sized fish
• eat 4-7 lbs (2-3 kg) fish daily
• often look like a 'rock sausage' or 'log'
• diverse coloration allows them to blend in the environment really well, hiding in disguise from Transient Orca

Stellar Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus):

• they look like great big golden grizzly bears
• range is from Washington State to Alaska
• recently have been placed on the US Endangered Species List due to rapidly declining numbers in Alaska
• it is suspected that the decline is linked with food shortages for young animals and over fishing
• breeding occurs mainly in Alaska
• males disperse after breeding season and can be found in large numbers around Victoria during the fall and winter months
• females generally stay near the breeding sites all year.
• males are about 10 ft (3 m) long & weigh approx 2000 lbs (900 kg)
• males eat about 22-45 lbs (5-10 kg) fish daily
• females are substantially smaller, approx 8-900lbs (4-450 kg)
• feed on salmon and small schooling fish

California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus):

• they are known for their dog-like 'barking'
• found from southern BC to Mexico
• breed mainly in California
• females generally stay near the breeding sites all year.
• have an active and comical disposition
• males spread out after breeding season & about 3000 animals go as far north as southern Vancouver Island during fall and winter months
• dark chocolate brown coloration, males have a prominent bump on their forehead (sagital crest)
males are 6-8 ft (2-2.5 m) long and weigh approx. 900 lbs (400kg)
• feed on small schooling fish and salmon

Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena):

• found in coastal water throughout the northern hemisphere
• they have a very beautiful bronzy brown colour, with a small triangular dorsal fin that is quite black
• adults generally 4-5 ft (1.7 m) long
• calves about 2.5 ft (80 cm) long at birth
• graceful swimmers, and can sometimes be seen in very large groups (communities), cooperatively feeding on small schooling fish
• susceptible to entanglement in fishing gear and coastal pollutants
• there has been a drastic decrease in abundance in this area over the last 50 years
• very shy animals, avoid boat traffic and are less social than Dall's Porpoise

Dall's Porpoise (Phocenoides dalli):

• only found in the North Pacific Ocean
• this is the most commonly seen porpoise in the Victoria area
• very social and playful, they will often "surf" in the bow (front) wake of boats
• their crisp, high contrast black & white colour
• misidentification as baby killer whales from shore based on-lookers because of coloration.
• adults generally 5-6 ft (2 m) long
• calves about 3 ft (90 cm) long at birth
• fastest marine mammal in the world
• feed on small schooling fish and squid by 'herding' them like cattle

Birds

The birds in our local area delight visitors. Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Black Oyster Catchers are confident, distinctly skilled, and all scavenge and hunt before our very eyes.

Belted Kingfishers chatter, Common Murre dive beneath the waters surface creating trails behind them like underwater jet planes as they ruthlessly attack a frightened school of fish (ball of bait).

Year-round resident species include the Bald Eagle, Harlequin Duck, Great Blue Heron, Pigeon Guillemot, Rhinoceros Auklet, Wilson's Phalarope, and Black Oystercatcher. There are also many species of Gull, and a wide range of inter-tidal/coastal birds, ie: the Kill Deer, Greater & Lesser Yellow legs, Black & Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderlings, etc. The list goes on . . .

A 'marine bird guide' is available on-line for more detailed information about some of the local bird-life in our area.

Bald Eagles:

• are apex predators and are top of the 'Bird' food chain.
• second in size only to California condors and about the same size as golden eagles
• wingspans range from six and a half to seven and a half feet,
• body length varies from about three to three and a half feet.
• weigh from six to eight pounds. Females are larger (9-11 lbs) than males and have a slightly longer wingspan.
• have lived up to 48 years in zoos, although their life span in the wild is likely an average of between 21-25 years.
• they mate for life, get married
• have incredibly acute eyesight (2 mile visual radius)
• the largest nest in the Pacific Northwest measured 15 feet (5M) across by 21 feet (7m) deep weighing approximately 5000lbs (1500kgs).
• recently been removed from the Endangered species list in the USA

Double Crested Cormorant:

• solidly built black cormorant with an orange/yellow throat patch and very long neck.are approximately 30-35" tall (76-89 cm).
• the largest and easiest to identify of the cormorants in the Pacific Northwest
• feathers lack a lot of the typical oil, they soak up water like a sponge
• after a dive the cormorant must 'dry off', with their wings stretched out from side to side drying themselves off like clothes on a clothesline
• some records indicate that these birds can dive to depths of 210 feet (70m).
• In some parts of the world cormorants have been raised and trained to fish for their owners because of there skilled hunting abilities.
• clutch size for this species is 3-5 chalky, pale blue-green eggs in a well-made platform of sticks and seaweed,
• the nest is a condominium-like structure placed in a tree or on a cliff or rocky island, nearly 3-5' high (1-1.5m).

Turkey Vultures:

• are large blackish brown birds, flight feathers are a silvery gray.
• have nearly featherless heads,
• adult turkey vulture has a red head while the juvenile has a black head.
• five foot wingspan, about 4 lb
• usually lay 2 eggs (can be 1-3), both parents incubate the eggs. Incubation lasts 38 to 41 days
• fledge about 66 to 88 days
• are immune to botulism and other organisms in carrion that would kill other animals.
• soars above the ground for most of the day, searching for food with its excellent eyesight and highly developed sense of smell.
• the only bird with a sense of smell
• its defense is vomiting. They cough up a lump of semi-digested meat. This foul smelling substance deters most creatures intent raiding a vulture nest.

Pigeon Guillamot:

• approx. size is 12-14" (30-36 cm). Pigeon-sized.
• breeding plumage, black with large white wing patch interrupted by 2 black stripes.
• Winter, head and upper parts lighten slightly, giving dusky mottled effect; underparts are white with buff-coloured barring on flanks and dusky wing linings.
• all seasons, feet and bill lining brilliant red.
• 1 or 2 whitish or greenish, dark-spotted eggs in a crevice or burrow.
• rather comical bird. Having extremely large bright red feet, it often has a very difficult time acquiring flight…running along the surface of the water before achieving 'airborne' status.
• high thin whistles and squeaks

Common Murre:

• approx. size is 17" (43 cm), like a crow
• head and upper parts brownish black, white below; long pointed bill.
• winter birds have extensive white on the face, with a dark line behind the eye
• 1 blue-green egg, with black marks, on a bare rock ledge.
• like all alcids, they use their wings for swimming and diving, and seem to fly through the water.
• When half grown, young murres jump 30 to 50 feet (9 to 15 meters) into the sea
• a seabird that can dive almost the length of a football field (200m-600 feet) straight down below the surface of the sea.
• travels up to 6000 km a year in migration, covering up to 1000 km of that distance by swimming
• leaps from cliffs up to 500 m high with half-grown wings at three weeks of age
• can live up to 25 years of age

Tufted Puffin:

• pigeon-sized, they are approx. 14 1/2-15 1/2" (37-39 cm).
• breeding plumage, stubby body black, face white, down-curved yellowish tufts hang behind eyes,
• parrot-like bill enlarged, bright orange-red.
• nests on vertical sea cliffs, in colonies or singly.
• feeds at sea.
• 1 white egg, often spotted, in a burrow on an island or coastal cliff. Nests in colonies.
• both parents take turns incubating the egg and feeding the puffling.
• It takes five years for puffins to mature and breed.
• usually return to the same burrow and nest with the same mate year after year.
• has adapted a burrowing strategy for nesting. It typically digs a tunnel from 2 to 9 feet (.5 to 3 meters) into a turf-covered slope
• referred to as the "sea parrots." And can live for up to thirty years.
• can dive at least 80 feet deep.
• can fly about 40 miles an hour, and will beat its wings about 300 to 400 times a minute.
• quite rare around the Pacific Northwest. They have high populations around the Cape Scott area (northern tip of Vancouver Island).