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).

Photo-identification data on killer whales occupying the northern Gulf of Mexico have been collected in association with large vessel surveys since 1991. Photographs of killer whales are taken during encounters and unique dorsal fin marking can be used to identify individual animals. These images have been reviewed and individuals cataloged to evaluate residency and demographic patterns in killer whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

SRKW have several data gaps regarding their ecology. Diet of killer whales is being determined by analyses of predation events and feces and from stomach content of harbor porpoises. The potential impact of Chinook predators is being evaluated through models. Information on killer whale prey samples.

SRKW have several data gaps regarding their ecology. Diet of killer whales is being determined by analyses of predation events and feces and from stomach content of harbor porpoises. The potential impact of Chinook predators is being evaluated through models. Information on killer whale prey samples.

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.

Satellite derived tracks of humpback whales tagged on their Antarctic feeding grounds. Data can be found here: https://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/argos/display_campaign.cfm?campaign_id=83 Satellite tags were deployed on adult humpback whales with a modified version of the Air Rocket Transmitter System (ARTS, Restech) and a purpose-designed projectile carrier at a pressure of 7.5 – 10 bar. A custom-designed, 80mm anchor section is attached to a stainless steel cylindrical housing containing a location-only transmitter (SPOT-5 by Wildlife Computers, Redmond, Washington, USA and Kiwisat 202 Cricket by Sirtrack, Havelock North, New Zealand). This superseded anchor design resulted in the anchor section disarticulating upon deployment in order to achieve improved tag retention times while minimising impact. The tags were sterilised with ethylene oxide prior to deployment and implanted up to 290mm into the skin, blubber, interfacial layers and outer muscle mass of the whale. Tags were programmed to transmit to the Argos satellite system at various duty cycles and repetition rates for a maximum of 720 transmissions per day. These transmissions are relayed to processing centres which calculate the transmitter’s location by measuring the Doppler Effect on transmission frequency.

As a part of NMFS management of the endangered beluga whale population in Cook Inlet, Alaska, aerial surveys have been conducted during summer since 1993 to monitor their distribution and abundance. When beluga whale groups are found, observers make counts from the bubble windows while one observer records the group with a video camera. The video has been used to count the number of animals in the group to correct for missed animals in the observer counts. In 1996, a second video camera was added; the first video camera had a lens set at a wide angle to view the entire beluga group while the second video camera was zoomed to approximately 10x to magnify a subsample of individual whales in the group. The zoomed video has been used to examine color ratios of white adults relative to smaller and darker juveniles and calves and correct for those individuals missed due to their size or coloration. In 2005, a computer program was designed to digitize the process for analyzing the video, which had been conducted manually prior to that year. The program allows an analyst to digitally mark and number each individual whale image, track it across the screen, and measure relative whale size. The dataset described here includes the data from the years that video was analyzed using the computer program, 2005-2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, and 2022.

Comprises data from surveys focused on killer whales with opportunistic data from other cetacean species; includes data describing encounters for photo-identifications, biopsy, and acoustic sampling. Data includes surveys conducted by CAEP/NMML, and also contributed data from Alaska Ecosystem Program/NMML, Southwest Fisheries Science Center and other collaborators. Surveys were conducted in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, and western Gulf of Alaska, 2000 to the present.

This dataset contains a collection of three known point locations of killer whales identified through direct human observation via shipborne and aerial surveys. This collection is aggregated from multiple data sources and survey periods listed below. Each data point contains attributes for further information about the time and source of the observation. This dataset was compiled by the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) and may be updated in the future if additional data sources are acquired. Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) has been undertaking shipborne surveys for odontocetes in Hawaiian waters since 2000. Killer whales are rare visitors to the main Hawaiian Islands, and are likely part of a widely-ranging open-ocean population. In addition, Dr. Joseph Mobley of the Marine Mammal Research Consultants (MMRC) led aerial surveys for cetaceans in Hawaiian waters from 1993-2003. For further information, please see: http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaiian-cetacean-studies/killer-whales-hawaii

Satellite tags were deployed on 48 east Australian humpback whales (breeding stock E1) in 2008, 2009 and 2010 on their southward migration, northward migration and feeding grounds in order to identify and describe migratory pathways, feeding grounds and possible calving areas. At the time, these movements were not well understood and calving grounds not clearly identified. To the best of our knowledge, this dataset details all long-term tag deployments that have occurred to date on breeding stock E1. Satellite tags were deployed on whales in the following locations: • Eden, southern NSW (Australia), October 2008: whales were tagged off Eden during their southern migration. • Evans Head, northern NSW (Australia), June and July 2009: whales were tagged off Evans Head during their northern migration. • East Antarctica, February 2010: whales were tagged on their feeding grounds within IWC Management Area V. • Sunshine Coast, QLD (Australia), October 2010: whales were tagged off the Sunshine Coast during their southern migration. The various files in the download are: Argos locations generated by tagging of East Australian (breeding stock E1) humpback whale This file contains all Argos locations generated by satellite tags deployed on humpback whales. Deployment details can be found separately (dataset title: 'Summary of satellite tag deployments on breeding stock E1 humpback whales'). Locations were calculated by Argos using a least-squares analysis. Columns are: Argos PTT: The unique satellite tag identification number. GMT: The date and time (dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm) of each Argos location in UTC. Argos location class: The location class retrieved from Argos, Argos diagnostic data. Classes are based on the type of location (Argos Doppler Shift) and the number of messages received during the satellite pass. Location classes in order of decreasing accuracy are 3, 2, 1, 0, A, B and Z (definition from Argos User's Manual V1.6.6, 2016). Longitude: The longitude of the Argos location estimate. Units: decimal degrees, WGS84 reference system. Latitude: The latitude of the Argos location estimate. Units: decimal degrees, WGS84 reference system. Speed-distance-angle filter applied to Argos locations generated by tagging of East Australian (breeding stock E1) humpback whale. This file contains all Argos locations generated by satellite tags deployed on humpback whales. Deployment details can be found separately (dataset title: 'Summary of satellite tag deployments on breeding stock E1 humpback whales'). Locations were calculated by Argos using a least-squares analysis. Additionally, this file contains a column detailing the outcome of the application of the sdafilter - an algorithm based on swimming speed, distance between successive locations, and turning angles to remove unlikely position estimates (speed of 10 ms , spike angles of 15° and 25°, spike lengths of 2500m and 5000m; Freitas et al. 2008). Freitas C, Lydersen C, Fedak M, Kovacs K (2008) A simple new algorithm for filtering marine mammal Argos locations. Marine Mammal Science 24 (2): 315‑325. Columns are: Argos PTT: The unique satellite tag identification number. GMT: The date and time (dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm) of each Argos location in UTC. Argos location class: The location class retrieved from Argos, Argos diagnostic data. Classes are based on the type of location (Argos Doppler Shift) and the number of messages received during the satellite pass. Location classes in order of decreasing accuracy are 3, 2, 1, 0, A, B and Z (definition from Argos User's Manual V1.6.6, 2016). Longitude: The longitude of the Argos location estimate. Units: decimal degrees, WGS84 reference system. Latitude: The latitude of the Argos location estimate. Units: decimal degrees, WGS84 reference system. Argosfilter outcome: The result of the Argos sdafilter - "removed" (location removed by the filter), "not" (location not removed) and "end_location" (location at the end of the track where the algorithm could not be