The magnificent killer whales of British Columbia are fascinating to study any time, but this year has been an especially eventful one for B.C.’s iconic marine mammal species. These local populations have experienced new life and loss and have been the subjects of groundbreaking new research. B.C. is unique in having three populations of killer whales living off the coast of Western North America: the residents (Northern and Southern), the Bigg’s (Transients), and the offshores. Researchers are keeping a close eye on all of these populations, but particularly on the critically endangered southern resident killer whale, which is currently facing serious challenges.
A new perspective on killer whales
This year, killer whale research took some fascinating turns, as new approaches were put in place to gain valuable information about these magnificent whales. In August 2014, Vancouver Aquarium’s Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard, along with a team of researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), set out to conduct the first-ever study of northern resident killer whales using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The great benefits of the UAV are its small size and silent operation, which allows for unaffected …show more content…
This study started by NOAA in 2011 has been tagging individual southern resident killer whales over the winter months in hopes of gaining information regarding their coastal distribution during this time. This information is extremely valuable, and could prove very beneficial for critical habitat planning for this species. On December 28th 2014 NOAA tagged adult male Blackberry (J27) who has been observed being very mobile throughout the coastal waters. Blackberry has been observed travelling in the same pod as the new calf, J50, so tracking him has also greatly assisted in determining the health and status of this