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New
killer whale section of web site
 While killer whales are believed to play an important role as top predators
in the North Pacific Ecosystem, too little is known about their abundance
and dietary preference to accurately assess their impact on marine mammal
populations. Long-term studies of killer whale populations off western
Alaska and in the Bering Sea were initiated two years ago to address
this issue in greater depth. Regular updates of the research will be
posted
on a new section of our web site entirely devoted to the study of killer
whales!
Dedicated killer whale research began in the 1980s in the Glacier Bay
and Icy Strait area of the northern region of southeastern Alaska. These
preliminary
studies focussed on individual photo identification and found that a
pod of killer whales frequents the area annually from late June to early
August.
In 2001, research undertaken by Craig Matkin, Jan Straley, Lance Barrett-Lennard
and colleagues broadened its focus to predation and dietary preference
of the transient (marine mammal eating) type of killer whale.
The geographical scope of the study also expanded to include other areas
of Southeastern
Alaska and to explore killer whale predation on grey whales.
Researchers are hoping to supplement their preliminary findings through
extensive research on killer whale populations. Techniques such as field
observations, photographic identification, acoustic records, and biopsy
sampling are being used to assess killer whale abundance and dietary
preference
in the North Pacific. The ultimate goal of the study is to provide greater
insight into killer whale predation on marine mammals, and possibly
shed
some light on the decline of Steller sea lion populations in western
Alaska. This research promises exciting findings and developments.
To learn more about the ongoing killer whale research, please see the
following new sections:
16 August 2004
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