These marine giants, renowned for their presence in global oceans, exhibit varied behaviors across different populations or 'ecotypes,' each with unique social structures, dietary preferences, and foraging methods. The study focuses on the 'transient' ecotype, known for their predilection for marine mammals, and reveals the existence of two primary hunting groups within this ecotype: those foraging along the shallow coastal waters (inner coast whales) and those adapting to the open deep waters (outer coast whales).
The research, which synthesized observations from marine mammal surveys between 2006 and 2018 and whale-watching ecotours from 2014 to 2021, shines a light on the poorly understood foraging behaviors of outer coast transient killer whales in the vicinity of Monterey Submarine Canyon.
This group, exclusively spotted in open waters, predominantly hunts California sea lions, grey whale calves, and northern elephant seals, employing advanced techniques suited for the open sea where their prey has few places to hide. Noteworthy tactics include ramming or using their tail to launch their prey into the air, demonstrating the whales' physical prowess and strategic hunting acumen.
The study categorizes their foraging behavior into two: distributed groups hunting independently in open waters and closely coordinated groups utilizing the submarine canyon contours for hunting.
These findings underline the outer coast whales' adaptation to deep-water hunting, suggesting that these behaviors, likely passed down through generations, underscore the whales' role as apex predators in the dynamic ecosystem of deep submarine canyons. This contributes significantly to our understanding of the complex interplay between predator and prey in the North Pacific Ocean's pelagic systems.
Research Report:Foraging behaviour and ecology of transient killer whales within a deep submarine canyon system
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