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What Are Killer Whales?

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are actually the largest members of the Dolphin Family and are considered apex predators.  This means they reside at the top of the food chain.  Contrary to popular belief, not all killer whales are the same kind!  They can be divided into three "ecotypes," which are determined by diet, dialects (pod specific vocalizations), and culture.   

Click this button to hear the sounds of a Killer Whale breathing!

Image by manu schwendener

The Ecotypes

dalheim et al, 2008

offshores

 

Offshore killer whales have the largest range of any community, and often occur more than 9 miles offshore. They are not, however, exclusively “offshore”, as they are sometimes seen in coastal nearshore waters.  Dorsal fins are usually rounded and saddles can be open or solid.

Residents

 

Referring to killer whales that can be found in the Pacific Northwest. The Residents are broken down into 4 populations: the Southern Residents, Northern Residents, Southern Alaskan Residents and Western Alaska North Pacific Residents. Saddle patches are typically "open".

Transients ("Biggs")

Transient killer whales also occur throughout the eastern North Pacific, and are often seen in nearshore coastal waters. Their habitat often overlaps with Resident and Offshore killer whales.  Dorsal fins are typically very pointed with "solid" saddle patches.

Residents
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Diet:

Primarily salmon-eaters. Chinook is a favorite!

Region:

Found in nearshore coastal waters from Alaska to Baja California and can travel up to 100 miles per day.

Culture:

Highly social and very vocal with a variety of signature calls making up unique dialects.  Pod size can vary between 10-40 animals with males and females remaining with their natal pod during their entire lifespan.

Transients ("bigg's")
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Diet:

Opportunistic feeders, Transients often take down seals, sea lions, and smaller dolphins.  They will group up to work together to run a large baleen whale to exhaustion and typically go after the tongue, lips, and soft underbelly.

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Region:

Transients can travel between Alaska and Baja California and may disappear for years at a time only to show up once again.  

Culture:

Silent and stealthy hunters that can travel as individuals, pairs, or in small "packs" of 8-10.  West Coast Transients have four acoustic dialects, though they typically only vocalize after they've made a kill.

offshores
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Diet:

Similar to Resident killer whales, Offshores are specialized fish eaters including nine species of shark.

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Region:

Sporadic sightings and open ocean travel make theses animals difficult to study, though they have been seen in shore in Washington State and Southern California.

Culture:

Pods have been known to come into near shore areas numbering 100 individuals.  They seem to be a mix of both Resident and Transient type behaviors and diet though genetically more similar to resident ecotypes.

Illustrations: Uko Gorter from  killer whales ecotypes and forms (NOAA Fisheries) poster

Image by manu schwendener

Naming

alphanumerical designation
The Letter
The number

The letter designates the pod in which the animal was first associated with.

The number designates the next viable animal counted within the pod.  

K40

The whale known as K40 was associated with the K pod and was the fortieth animal to be counted.

Image by manu schwendener

social organization

to killer whales, family is everything!
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illustration: uko gorter

WhaT's a matriline?

Matriline is the smallest killer whale social unit.

A matriarch (older female) and all of her descendants (including sons, daughters, and grandchildren) are referred to as a matriline.

 

Both males and females stay with their mother’s pod throughout their lives, even if they have offspring
of their own.

What's a Pod?

A pod is a group of related matrilines that travel, forage, socialize, and rest together. As pods
grow in size over time, they may splinter into new pods. Southern Resident Killer Whales are
comprised of three pods: J-Pod, K-Pod and L-Pod.

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What's a clan?

A clan is a group of pods that share similar calls or dialects. Pods with very similar dialects are more closely related. All Southern Resident Killer Whales belong to the J acoustic clan.

Clan

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Matriline

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Matriline

pod A

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Matriline

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Matriline

pod B

Killer Whale Communities

Community is the top level of killer whale social structure. Resident killer whales that share a common range and that associate at least occasionally are considered to be members of the same community. Pods from one community have rarely or never been seen to travel with those from another community even though their ranges partly overlap. There are two communities found in the Salish Sea: Northern Resident Killer
Whales and Southern Resident Killer Whales.

Northern Residents
Southern Residents
vs.

Northern Resident killer whales are fish-eating animals that frequent the waters between Southeast Alaska and Northern Washington State.  Three acoustic clans make up the population: A, G, and R.  Though sympatric to Southern Resident killer whales, a distinct cultural feature of these pods is their "belly-rubbing" behavior along the beach of Robson Bight ecological park.

Southern Resident killer whales are fish-eating animals that frequent the areas between Vancouver Island and Northern California (Monterey Bay).  Just one acoustic clan makes up this population; J.  As well, a distinct cultural feature of these pods is their "kelping" behavior primarily along Lime Kiln Whale Watch park.

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can
AK
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ca
or
Image by manu schwendener

identification

Since the 1970's, individual killer whales have been shown to be easily identified by their unique markings

Photo: Thompson/ap

Underbelly Markings

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Down towards the tail flukes, between the navel and the anus, females have a white, oval-shaped genital patch with three black spots. The largest one, in the middle, is her vagina, and the two on either side of it are the mammary slits containing the nipples she uses for nursing her calves, which are retracted into her body when not in use.

 

The genital area of the male orca is in the same region of his body but more elongated, with a single black slit covering his penis.

Saddle patches

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Simply put the gray area on either side of the dorsal fin is called a "saddle patch" as that is where a saddle would be put on if one were to ride the whale.  These are very unique "fingerprints" of each animal and can be used for identifying individuals and/or ecotype.  Patches can be solid in color or "open."

Southern resident individual J14 (top row) with symmetrical saddle patch pattern and individual L88 (bottom row) with asymmetrical saddle patches .  From Pietiäinen et al, 2013.

Photos: Taaf-mnhn-cebs; Robert pitman

Eye Patches

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Though not initially considered for photo-identification, like saddle patches, the white eye patches are also unique in shape and size.  Additionally, studies have shown that eye-patch orientation can illustrate either a parallel or sloping form in relation to the blowhole.

A type D killer whale with a tiny eyepatch and rounded head (top) versus a “regular” killer whale with large white eyepatch and more pointy snout (bottom). 

dorsal fins

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Killer whales are sexually dimorphic, with adult males being larger than adult females. Full grown male dorsal fins can be upwards of 6 feet tall and easily distinguished from females which are shorter and more falcate.

Image by Tim Marshall

© 2024 by Naked Whale Research

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