Whale watching is a popular activity for everyone visiting British Columbia. But for some UBC researchers, it’s an interesting endeavor.
After observing pods of killer whales hunting other marine mammals off the California and Oregon coastlines, UBC researchers believe there may be a new population of killer whales.
Of the 49 orcas found, researchers said a small pod confronted and captured nine sperm whales, with only one surviving. This is the first time something like this has been reported on the West Coast.
in press release The researchers believe the pods may “belong to a transient killer whale subpopulation or an ocean-specific population.”
Researchers reached that conclusion after comparing the whale to known photos and descriptions and finding no matching species existed.
“The open ocean is the largest habitat on Earth, and orcas are rarely observed on the high seas,” lead researcher Josh McInnes said in a press release.
“In this case, we are beginning to understand how killer whales move in the open ocean and how their ecology and behavior differ from populations living in coastal areas.”
Researchers hope to record more whale sightings and learn more, including collecting acoustic data on killer whale calls and genetic information from DNA samples.
You just might be able to witness a rare whale fight on your next boating adventure.
