Killer Whales John K.B. Ford, Graeme M. Ellis, and Kenneth C. Balcomb S e c o n d E d i t i o n The natural history and genealogy of Orcinus orca in British Columbia and Washington UBC Press I Vancouver, Toronto University of Washington Press I Seattle © UBC Press 2000 All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced in a retrieval Published in the United States of America by the University of Washington Press, system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without written permission P.O. Box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096. of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Printed in Canada on acid-free paper Ford, John K.B. Killer whales: the natural history and genealogy of Orcinus orca in British ISBN 0-7748-0800-4 (Canada) Columbia and Washington State / John K.B. Ford, Graeme M. Ellis, and Kenneth ISBN 0-295-97958-5 (United States) C. Balcomb, - 2nd ed. p. cm. Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Includes bibliographical references (p.). Ford, John Kenneth Baker, 1955- ISBN 0-7748-800-4 (Canada: acid-free paper) - ISBN 0-295-97958-5 (United Killer whales States: acid free paper) 1. Killer whale - British Columbia. 2. Killer whale - Washington (State) I. Ellis, Includes bibliographical references. Graeme M. II. Balcomb, Kenneth C., 1940- III. Title. ISBN 0-7748-0800-4 QL737.C432F67 2000 1. Killer whale - British Columbia. 2. Killer whale - Washington (State). I. 599.53'617743-dc21 Ellis, Graeme II. Balcomb, Kenneth C., 1940- III. Title. 00-008548 QL737.C432F67 2000 599.53'617743 COO-910352-X UBC Press acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada Set in Minion, Frutiger, and Univers through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) for our Cartography: Eric Leinberger publishing activities. Design: George Vaitkunas Canada Printed and bound in Canada by Friesens We also gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for our publishing program, as well as the support of the British Columbia Arts Council. UBC Press University of British Columbia 2029 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2 (604) 822-5959 Fax: (604) 822-6083 E-mail: [email protected] www.ubcpress.ubc.ca Published in cooperation with the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science VANCOUVER AQUARIUM Fisheries and Oceans Peches et Oceans Canada Canada Centre; the Pacific Biological Station, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, M A R f N I SCIENCE C E NT RE Science Sciences Nanalmo, BC; and the Center for Whale Research, Friday Harbor, WA We dedicate this book to the memory of Michael Bigg, our friend and mentor. 8 Preface and Acknowledgments 97 Conservation Concerns and Future Prospects for Killer Whales 11 Our Changing Relationship with the Killer Whale 97 Food Supply 13 The Development of Our Study 98 Environmental Contaminants 100 Vessel Disturbance 16 Natural History of the Killer Whale 100 Population Status and Future Outlook 16 Distinct Populations: Residents, Transients, and Offshores 17 Different Lifestyles 101 Glossary 21 Dialects and Population Identity 102 Bibliography Contents 22 Population Parameters 103 Other Resources 104 Photographic Credits 23 Resident Killer Whale Societies 24 Definitions of Social Structure Sidebars 12 Killer Whales as Nuisances 28 Watching Killer Whales 18 Distinguishing Resident, Transient, and Offshore Killer Whales 28 Land-Based Whale Watching 45 Distinguishing Males and Females 28 Vessel-Based Whale Watching 53 Whale-Watching Tours 29 Interpreting Whale Activities and Behaviours 57 How to Behave around Killer Whales 31 Does Watching Whales Bother Them? 64 Changing Features of Fins and Saddles 66 Killer Whales, Ships, and Care-Giving Behaviour 41 Catalogue of Resident Killer Whales 69 Orcinus orca: The Killer Dolphin 41 The Naming System 73 Wanted: ID Photos and Observations 43 How Whales Are Identified 89 Eavesdropping on Killer Whales 43 Catalogue Organization 96 Communication and Echolocation 44 Sex and Years of Birth and Death 99 Genetic Testing: Shedding New Light on 45 Northern Resident Community Killer Whale Biology 47 Southern Resident Community 49 Catalogue ^^HH his book has its beginnings in the early 1970s. At that Killer whales were far from conventional mammals; indeed, I time, the late Dr. Michael Bigg, Ian MacAskie, and one of certain aspects of their biology appeared unique. Two different • us (Graeme Ellis), working at the Pacific Biological Station forms of the species - residents and transients - lived in the I in Nanaimo, British Columbia, were studying the popula- same waters, yet never associated and seemed to specialize on I tion status of killer whales in the province. This proved to different prey - fish for residents and mammals for transients. I be no small task. Conventional census techniques, such as The social structure of the resident whales was exceptionally aerial or vessel transect surveys, were not practical because of unusual, with young whales staying in their mother's group the vastness of the convoluted British Columbia coastline and well into maturity and probably for their entire lives. Also, the wide-ranging distribution of the whales. A public sighting each resident killer whale pod was found to have a unique program using mail-in questionnaires yielded a very rough esti- vocal dialect that appeared to encode its relationship to other mate of the population size, but nothing about birth and death pods in the population. rates, social organization, and other vital aspects of the whales' During this period, the whales were attracting the attention Preface life history. Clearly another study technique was needed. of more than just researchers. Plans to turn Robson Bight, a By 1973, Mike Bigg, always the inventor and innovator, had sheltered bay on northeastern Vancouver Island, into a log- Acknowledgments discovered a technique that was to revolutionize field studies of booming area threatened this important whale habitat. Lobby- killer whales worldwide. Mike realized that the whales were all ing efforts by conservationists eventually led to the creation of carrying natural markings on their bodies and that these could an ecological reserve for the whales in Robson Bight in 1982, be used for the cetacean equivalent of a mug-shot identification and, in the process, the area became widely known as the best system. A good photograph of the dorsal fin and grey "saddle" place for the public to view killer whales in the wild. The open- patch at the base of the fin revealed a unique pattern of nicks ing of a road to northern Vancouver Island in 1979 improved and scars that provided a whale's identification. Mike reasoned access to the area, and Johnstone Strait quickly grew in popu- that if every individual present during repeated encounters with larity as a destination for recreational whale watching. In 1980 whale groups along the coast was identified photographically, the the first commercial whale-watching excursions began in the population could actually be counted rather than estimated, and Strait, and soon people were travelling from throughout North many other features of the species' natural history could be exam- America and abroad to watch killer whales in this area and, some ined. Many scientists were skeptical about the validity of this new years later, off southern Vancouver Island and in Haro Strait. approach, but Mike persisted and demonstrated that photo- As interest in recreational whale watching grew, so too did identification was indeed the key to understanding this species. the demand from whale enthusiasts for a book containing the The study continued through the 1970s and expanded as latest information on killer whale natural history and a cata- other researchers joined the collaborative effort. Two of us logue of photographs to identify individual whales and their became involved during this period. In 1976, Ken Balcomb family groups. Such a book was co-authored and published in formed a research group on San Juan Island and started an 1987 by Mike Bigg and the three of us, but it was very much intensive multifaceted study of the portion of the population Mike's project. Mike Bigg was the pioneer of modern killer that frequents US waters. This research program, operated by whale research, arid it was his enthusiasm, cooperative spirit, the Center for Whale Research, continues today. In 1977, John and love for the animals that was responsible for much of the Ford began graduate studies at the University of British success of the scientific work, as well as this first book on killer Columbia, focusing on the underwater vocalizations of the whale natural history and identification. Mike hoped that the whales and their relationship to behaviour and social structure. book would be updated every four to five years as the popula- This work also continues today. tion changed and new discoveries were made, and that this By the early 1980s, our understanding of the coastal killer might "result in the killer whales of this region becoming one whales and our relationship with them began to enter a new of the best understood of all marine mammals." Sadly, Mike era. Scientifically, a most remarkable picture was emerging. Bigg was not to live to see the next edition of his book. In 8 October 1990, Mike died at the age of 51, leaving many friends Like its predecessors, this book is the product of countless and students to carry on the work that was so important to him. people, too numerous to list here. Over the years, the study has It wasn't until 1994 that we produced a new and updated involved several thousand people who called us to report whale version of our original killer whale book, this time published sightings and over 200 people who took photographs that were jointly by UBC Press and the University of Washington Press. used to document whales. For major ongoing contributions to Much had changed between 1987 and 1994. The killer whale this research, we give special thanks to our colleagues Lance population in the region had jumped from about 350 to almost Barrett-Lennard, David Ellifrit, Candice Emmons, and Astrid 700 with the discovery of a new community of "offshore" killer van Ginneken. For contributions of identification photographs whales. The resident population itself had grown from about and/or acoustical recordings, sharing of data and ideas, or 260 in 1987 to about 300 in 1993. The number of identified other special assistance, we thank the following: David Bain, animals in the transient killer whale population had more than Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, Nancy Black, Prentice Bloedel II, lim doubled. With such a large number of whales now known, it Borrowman, David Briggs, Randy Burke, Diane Claridge, was impractical to include them all in the photographic registry Marilyn Dahlheim, Nicola Dedeluk, Volker Deecke, Brian in a single book. Thus, we chose to produce two separate books, Falconer, Beverly Ford, Pat Gerlach, Karen Hansen, Kathy each with a different focus and photographic catalogue. Killer Heise, Stan Hutchings, Iain Jones, Bob and Ruth Lamont, Ed Whales describes the natural history of all three populations of Lochbaum, John McCulloch, Iain MacDonald, Bill and Donna killer whales - resident, transient, and offshore - but only Mackay, Rod MacVicar, John Mair, Nancy Marcus, Craig includes the more common resident population in the cata- Matkin, Valentina Mendoza, Alex Morton, Linda Nichol, logue section. The second book, Transients) published in 1999 Erin Nyan, Miriam O, Peter Olesiuk, Rich Osborne, Rod and (see Bibliography), focuses on the fascinating lifestyle of these Kechura Palm, Meg Pocklington, Peter Ross, Mark Sears, mammal-hunting whales and contains a catalogue of over 200 Val Shore, Paul Spong, Helena Symonds, Robin Taylor, Chris transients identified in British Columbia, Washington, and Tulloch, Adam U, Jane Watson, Peter Welk, and Harold Yurk. southeastern Alaska. It is likely to be some time, however, before We are grateful to the following organizations for their "offshore" killer whales get their own book. We continue to financial and logistical support of this work: Pacific Biological encounter these whales several times a year, but we are still a Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Vancouver Aquarium long way from understanding their natural history and ecology. Marine Science Centre; Center for Whale Research; BC Wild Killer whale populations are constantly in flux, and our Killer Whale Adoption Program; Stubbs Island Whale knowledge of their biology continues to steadily improve. We Watching; Earthwatch Institute; the Whale Museum; Langara have thus revised this book to provide readers with the latest Fishing Adventures; and King Pacific Lodge. information on the current status and understanding of killer We were fortunate in having dedicated and skilled assis- whales in British Columbia and Washington. We have also tance in the production of this revised edition. Wilf Hatch revised the catalogue section to ensure that whale watchers processed and Elwood Miles printed the majority of the black- have an up-to-date identification tool for use out on the water. and-white photographs. Astrid van Ginneken digitally scanned Since publication of the first edition of Killer Whales in 1994, the identification photographs of southern residents. George there have been 71 births and 64 deaths in the resident popula- Vaitkunas scanned and optimized the remaining photographs tion. The appearance of many whales has changed - young and was responsible for the overall design and layout of the whales have grown, and many individuals have acquired new book. Lance Barrett-Lennard, Bev Ford, Holly Keller-Brohman, nicks or scars. We have also changed the way we refer to the Peter Olesiuk, Peter Ross, and Jane Watson reviewed and basic social groups of resident whales, from "subpods" to offered comments on portions of the revised manuscript. We "matrilines," because social organization of resident killer thank all for their enthusiastic, ongoing support. whales is better defined by genealogical relationships than by association patterns, as has been done in the past. 9 Preface and Acknowledgments