Orca Identification - CWR
Like many other cetacean species, orcas (killer whales) can be identified individually by their natural markings and differences in fin shape. Orcas have a prominent dorsal fin that varies in shape and size, often with distinctive nicks, indentations, and scars varying in shape and location.
Learn — Orca Conservancy
The Southern Resident killer whales face multiple threats, with prey scarcity, toxins/pollution, and noise caused by vessels as the three top threats. Additional threats that don't receive as much attention are potential oil spills, lack of genetic diversity, and climate change.
How scars tell the story of our whales - eldingresearch
Jul 28, 2022 · Thankfully, not all markings come from human impacts - some have a natural cause. The bright white rake marks on Líney, for example are the evidence of an orca predation event. Icelandic orcas are most probably not the culprits as they generally eat herring (once in a while they’ll eat harbour porpoises and seals).
Orcas’ Scars Tell a Story - The Tyee
Mar 16, 2022 · When southern resident killer whales off the coast of British Columbia and Washington state surface for breath, they show off pointy dorsal fins and their iconic black-and-white colouration. But...
Orcas covered in scars left by 'cookiecutter sharks' may be new ...
Mar 23, 2024 · A group of killer whales spotted hunting off the coast of California and Oregon over two decades may actually be their own unique population of animals, a new study says.
Increasing skin disease in endangered orcas concerns scientists
Jul 28, 2023 · Killer whales are truly unmistakable with their striking black-and-white coloration. However, when viewed more closely, the Southern Resident killer whales’ skin is not uniformly colored, with scratches and scars from social encounters.
New orca type may be living off US coast: UBC - CityNews …
Mar 15, 2024 · Researchers at UBC say a group of orcas seen hunting off the coast of California and Oregon could belong to a subpopulation of transient killer whales. They could even be a unique...
With Humans Out of the Way, Humpbacks Are Flourishing—But So Are Orcas
Nov 13, 2018 · Scars left by the teeth of orcas, sharks and other marine predators scraping across the skin are known as rake marks. On other sea creatures, these marks disappear with time, but humpbacks...
First study of humpback whale survivors of orca attacks in the ...
Nov 6, 2018 · Humpback whales bear stark battle scars from violent encounters with orcas, also known as killer whales. Analysis of rake marks on more than 3000 humpback whale tails or flukes suggest that...
Anthropogenic and killer whale (Orcinus orca) scarring on Pacific …
Sep 26, 2024 · We found that, of the 139 PCFG whales evaluated, 11.5% had scarring from entanglements, 3.6% had scarring from vessel strikes and 25.9% had scarring from killer whale attacks. We found no differences in scarring rates between males and females.