Researchers at the UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF) have made an intriguing discovery. They believe that a group of killer whales, observed hunting marine mammals and a sea turtle in the open ocean off California and Oregon, could be a previously unidentified population.
According to first author Josh McInnes, a master’s student at UBC IOF, killer whale sightings in the high seas are rare, making this finding particularly significant. The researchers are gaining insight into the movements, ecology, and behavior of killer whales in the open ocean, which differs from those inhabiting coastal areas.
While three ecotypes of killer whales are known to live along the coasts of California and Oregon, the newly observed orcas represent a distinct population. The researchers have gathered evidence from nine encounters with 49 animals between 1997 and 2021, leading them to form a solid hypothesis about this new population.
Co-author Dr. Andrew Trites, IOF professor, emphasized the uniqueness of this discovery, highlighting the time and effort required to recognize a new population of killer whales.
2024-03-16 08:00:04
Post from phys.org
