Movements of the Eastern North Pacific Offshore Killer Whale (Orcinus orca)

Nov 2, 2022 (Last modified Nov 3, 2022)
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Dataset was scientifically peer reviewed
Description:
This dataset contains maps of tagged Offshore killer whale tracks with each Offshore killer whale assigned a different color.

The Offshore killer whale is one of three sympatric but socially isolated and distinct forms of killer whales (Orcinus orca) that are found in the coastal waters of the Eastern North Pacific. These three ecotypes are known as Resident, Transient, and Offshore killer whales, and the Offshores are the least known of these ecotypes. (Ford and Ellis, 2014).

The Pacific Offshore killer whale population is currently listed as data deficient on the IUCN Red List and Threatened in Canada. The population is estimated at 300 individuals with a range extending from Southern California to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Only 157 encounters with this ecotype have been photo-documented between 1988 and 2014; consequently, movement and behavioral data are limited and restricted to areas commonly surveyed.

To better understand movements, habitat use, and diving behavior, we deployed seven dart-attached satellite tags during two encounters with Offshores off California and one encounter off Washington State in 2013. Group size estimates were 6, 9, and 30 whales, respectively. Transmission durations ranged from 6.3 to 147.4 days providing a combined 2,469 location estimates. Whales tagged in Southern California travelled from 30.7°N to 59.3°N degrees latitude, covering a larger latitudinal range in 75 days than all previous sightings (33.5°N to 60.0°N). Within most of the California Current (southern extent of locations up to 48.5°N), Offshores typically used waters deeper than the 200 m isobath. As they approached the northern extent of the California Current and travelled into British Columbia and Alaska, locations were more common near or inside the 200 m isobath. Individuals tagged in the same group disassociated and re-associated within the tracking duration, with animals tagged together separating by as much 1,339 km. Despite the small number of tag deployments, these data provide new information on social structure, individual ranges, diving behavior, and habitat use of this seldom encountered killer whale ecotype.

For more information about this research, or data inquiry, please contact the author (Greg Schorr). The publication and PDFs are available online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.854893/full

Data Provided By:
Gregory S. Schorr *1, M. Bradley Hanson *2, Erin A. Falcone *1, Candice K. Emmons *2, Susan M. Jarvis *3, Russel D. Andrews *1, Eric M. Keen *1

1) Foundation for Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research, Seabeck, WA, United States

2) Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States

3) Ranges, Engineering and Analysis Department, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, RI, United States
Content date:
2013
Citation:
Schorr, G.S., Hanson, M.B., Falcone, E.A., Emmons, C.K., Jarvis, S.M., Andrews, R.D. and Keen, E.M., 2022. Movements and Diving Behavior of the Eastern North Pacific Offshore Killer Whale (Orcinus orca). Frontiers in Marine Science, p.774.

Please contact the authors for data download. The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Funding for field work and tags deployed in California were provided by funding from the Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Readiness Division (N45) via a grant from the Naval Postgraduate School (Grant No. N000244-10-1-0050). Funding for field work and tags deployed in WA came from the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, and from the U.S. Navy, Pacific Fleet (via a contract to Cascadia Research Collective from HDR, No. N62470-10-D-3011).
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Foundation for Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research, Seabeck, WA
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orca, eastern pacific, killer whale, orcinus orca, offshore killer whale

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