Transients: Mammal-hunting Killer Whales of British Columbia, Washington, and Southeastern AlaskaKiller whales are found in all oceans of the world, but nowhere are they better known than in the coastal waters of Washington, British Columbia, and Southeastern Alaska, where 25 years of study have yielded many surprising discoveries about their natural history. One of the most remarkable is that two genetically distinct forms of killer whales reside in these waters. The two groups of whales do not associate and each leads a completely different lifestyle. Residents specialize in a diet of salmon and other fish, while transients are hunters of seals, sea lions, porpoises, and even large whales. Enigmatic and elusive, these mammal-hunting whales travel in small groups, often moving unpredictably. Transients contains the latest information on the natural history of transient killer whales, including their feeding habits, social lives, and distribution patterns. It also includes photographs of and notes on over 200 individual whales. Numerous sidebars contain interesting observations on encounters with transients as well as information on how and where to best watch them. |
Contents
Natural History of Transient Killer Whales 10 Population Identity Range and Size | 10 |
Seasonal and Annual Distribution | 12 |
Feeding Habits | 13 |
Social Structure | 18 |
Vocal Behaviour and Dialects 22 Population Parameters | 22 |
Watching Transient Killer Whales 25 Transient Activities and Behaviours | 25 |
Where to Find Transients | 28 |
Watching Transients without Disturbing Them | 30 |
Distinguishing Transients and Residents | 55 |
Playthings and Practice or BetweenSeal Snacks? | 59 |
Wandering Whales | 61 |
Large Whales As Transient Prey | 69 |
Are Transients or Residents the Typical Killer Whale? | 74 |
Cryptic Clicks and Passive Sonar | 78 |
Transient Booms and Busts? | 81 |
Indifference Avoidance or Aggression? | 83 |
Catalogue of Transient Killer Whales 41 Determining Community Membership | 41 |
The Naming System | 42 |
Catalogue Composition and Organization | 43 |
Sex and Year of Birth | 44 |
Catalogue Sidebars | 45 |
The Story of the T2 Lineage 29 Land Mammals As Transient Prey 31 WhaleWatching Guidelines Giving Transients Space and Quiet 49 Capture and... | 49 |
Toxins in Transients | 87 |
Afterword | 90 |
Supplementary Catalogue Information | 91 |
Glossary | 94 |
Bibliography | 95 |