Increased presence of mammal-eating killer whales in the Salish Sea with implications for predator-prey dynamics.

ABSTRACT: The inland waters of Washington State and southern British Columbia, collectively known as the Salish Sea, comprise key habitat for two regional populations of killer whales (Orcinus orca): the mammal-eating West Coast Transients and the endangered fish-eating Southern Residents. These two populations are genetically distinct and may avoid each other. Transient killer whale usage of the Salish Sea has been previously assessed over two seven-year time periods, showing an increase from 1987 to 2010. We documented a continued significant increase in mammal-eating killer whale presence in the Salish Sea from 2011 to 2017, with intra- and inter-annual variability and with record sightings in 2017. This continued increase, likely in response to abundant marine mammal prey, is related to both a g

SUBMITTER: Shields MW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6284519 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature