The difficulties associated with detecting population boundaries have long constrained the conservation and management of highly mobile marine species, especially for wide-ranging cetaceans such as killer whales (Orcinus orca). In this study, we use molecular genetic data to test a priori hypotheses about population subdivisions generated from a decade of killer whale surveys across the northern North Pacific. A total of 462 skin biopsies were collected from free-swimming killer whales from 1990 to 2010 between the northern Gulf of Alaska in the east and the Sea of Okhotsk in the west, representing both the piscivorous resident and the mammal-eating Biggs (or transient) killer whales. Geographic patterns of genetic differentiation were supported by significant regions of genetic discontinuity providing evidence of population structuring within both lineages, and corroborating direct observations of restricted movements of individual whales. In the Aleutian Islands (Alaska), population strata were largely delimited by major oceanographic boundaries for resident killer whales. In contrast, subdivisions among Biggs killer whales indicated multiple genetic clusters in the Eastern Aleutians and Bering Sea. The presence of sympatric genetic clusters within Biggs whales suggests the presence of isolating mechanisms other than geographic distance within this highly mobile top predator.

This dataset relates to statistical models of killer whale (Orcinus orca) occurrence in the Bremer Sub-Basin developed from vessel-based and aerial survey data collected between 2015 and 2017. Further information can be found in: Salgado-Kent C, Parnum I, Wellard R, Erbe C, Fouda L. 2017. Habitat preferences and distribution of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Bremer Sub-Basin, Australia. Report to the National Environmental Science Programme Marine Biodiversity Hub (CMST 2017-15), 37 p.

This dataset relates to statistical models of killer whale (Orcinus orca) occurrence in the Bremer Sub-Basin developed from vessel-based and aerial survey data collected between 2015 and 2017. Further information can be found in: Salgado-Kent C, Parnum I, Wellard R, Erbe C, Fouda L. 2017. Habitat preferences and distribution of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Bremer Sub-Basin, Australia. Report to the National Environmental Science Programme Marine Biodiversity Hub (CMST 2017-15), 37 p.

The southern residents face several well-documented external threats. However, the population might also be subject to internal factors that limit population growth, including a reduction in fitness due to inbreeding. Understanding how inbreeding affects individual fitness and thus the health status of the population is critical for evaluating the relative influence of other factors on southern resident recovery. Assessing the risk of inbreeding depression – specifically called for in the NMFS recovery plan – is important for conducting accurate Population Viability Analyses and correctly understanding the urgency of recovery efforts. Here, we propose using genomic methods to evaluate inbreeding and inbreeding depression in the southern resident population and a comparable but healthier Alaskan resident population. Measures of inbreeding will serve as an important health marker, supporting the integration of individual metrics aimed at understanding population performance. Measures of inbreeding can be obtained directly by estimating variation at millions of DNA markers in an individual’s genome. Complete genomic sequences for 100 southern and 50 Alaska residents will be collected in collaboration with the genomics company BGI. Inbreeding values for each individual will be obtained using genome wide measures of homozygosity and relatedness. We will then combine measured of inbreeding with data on individual fitness, to evaluate whether inbreeding leads to inbreeding depression. Generalized additive models will be used to determine whether survivorship, fecundity and size-at-age is influenced by different levels of inbreeding. Using this data, we will measure the degree of current and predicted future of inbreeding in the southern residents and compare this risk with the Alaska residents that have experienced consistent population growth. We will then evaluate whether inbreeding depression explains individual variance in fitness, and estimate its influence on the status of southern residents, using Population Viability Analyses. Microsatellite, SNP, and mtDNA sequence data from southern resident killer whales.

This study constitutes the first quantitative assessment of winter use of the northern Strait of Georgia by killer whales, which presents a substantial contribution to the limited knowledge of killer whale habitat use in British Columbia during the winter. Passive acoustic monitoring revealed extensive use of this area by three sympatric killer whale populations from November to April over three seasons. This study also evaluated the effect of using multiple simultaneous acoustic recorders to characterize killer whale habitat use, and developed a data-driven approach to define acoustic residency time.

SRKW were listed as endangered in 2005. This study collected baseline data about the industry to be able to determine social impacts to the industry as a result of the SRKW listing. Primary data was collected, analyzed, and reported. Northwest Regional Office and Protected Species Office staff used some study results in an Environmental Assessment completed in 2011. This information will also be used to compare future data collections to measure social changes as a result of new vessel regulations. Primary qualitative/quantitative dataset.

The difficulties associated with detecting population boundaries have long constrained the conservation and management of highly mobile marine species, especially for wide-ranging cetaceans such as killer whales (Orcinus orca). In this study, we use molecular genetic data to test a priori hypotheses about population subdivisions generated from a decade of killer whale surveys across the northern North Pacific. A total of 462 skin biopsies were collected from free-swimming killer whales from 1990 to 2010 between the northern Gulf of Alaska in the east and the Sea of Okhotsk in the west, representing both the piscivorous resident and the mammal-eating Biggs (or transient) killer whales. Geographic patterns of genetic differentiation were supported by significant regions of genetic discontinuity providing evidence of population structuring within both lineages, and corroborating direct observations of restricted movements of individual whales. In the Aleutian Islands (Alaska), population strata were largely delimited by major oceanographic boundaries for resident killer whales. In contrast, subdivisions among Biggs killer whales indicated multiple genetic clusters in the Eastern Aleutians and Bering Sea. The presence of sympatric genetic clusters within Biggs whales suggests the presence of isolating mechanisms other than geographic distance within this highly mobile top predator.

We are using elliptic Fourier analysis to determine the patterns of variation in morphology of dorsal fin shape, saddle patch shape, and eye patch shape of resident, transient, and offshore killer whales in the northeastern Pacific ocean. We will also be looking for evidence of genetic variation underlying these patterns in southern resident killer whales. Morphology and heritability of morphology by ecotype, sex (if available), age (if available), and parentage (if available).

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) exhibit significant ecological and genetic diversity, with three primary sympatric ecotypes in the Northeast Pacific: Resident, Bigg’s (Transient), and Offshore. Each ecotype is adapted to distinct ecological niches, with unique foraging strategies, social structures, and vocal behaviors. These differences underscore the challenges in monitoring and conserving each group, as they coexist within overlapping geographic ranges yet do not intermix. This dataset, compiled from diverse sources, provides a comprehensive resource for the detection and classification of killer whale vocalizations. The >225,000 call-level annotations collected from 23 locations, and a cleaned annotation csv that collates annotations across the different protocols. Recordings spanning eleven years from various geographical locations within the Northeast Pacific Ocean, collected using multiple hydrophone systems. It addresses the challenge of differentiating killer whale calls from other marine species and environmental noise and includes specific instances of confounding signals to enhance model robustness. Detailed annotations capture a broad spectrum of vocalizations and associated metadata, facilitating the development of advanced machine learning models for ecological monitoring. This curated dataset aims to improve the accuracy of killer whale detection algorithms, support conservation efforts, and advance our understanding of killer whale acoustic communication across different ecotypes.

Transient killers whales inhabit the West Coast of the United States. Their range and movement patterns are difficult to ascertain, but are vital to understanding killer whale population dynamics and abundance trends. Satellite tagging of West Coast transient killer whales to determine range and movement patterns will provide data to assist in understanding transient killer whale populations. Locational data.