Kenai Fjords and Prince William Sound Long-Term Photographic Monitoring of Killer Whales, 2012-2016, Gulf Watch Alaska Pelagic Component

• Main Author: Matkin, Craig
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Axiom Data Science 2017
• Subjects: Gulf of Alaska; Orca; Orcinus orca; Alaska
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.24431/rw1k1s; https://search.dataone.org/#view/10.24431/rw1k1s

These data are part of the Gulf Watch Alaska (GWA), Pelagic Component of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, project numbers 12120114-M, 13120114-M, 14120114-M, 15120114-M and 16120114-M. Gulf Watch Alaska is the long-term ecosystem monitoring program of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council for the marine ecosystem affected by the 1989 oil spill. The project is a continuation of annual monitoring of AB pod and the AT1 population killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Prince William Sound-Kenai Fjords. These groups of whales suffered significant losses at the time of the oil spill and have not recovered at projected rates. Monitoring of all the major pods and their current movements, range, feeding habits, and contaminant levels will help determine their vulnerability to future perturbations, including oil spills. Photographs of identifiable individual killer whales were taken from 2012 to 2016 in Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska during small vessel surveys. Pigmentation, scars, and dorsal fin shapes allow for the recognition of individuals, which swim in stable related social groups known as matrilines and pods. Annual photographs allow for population census and estimates of reproductive rates, recruitment rates, longevity, and population health. Individual photographs are included in this dataset, along with a summary of identified individuals, and the resulting catalogues of known individuals. Specifically, the dataset contents are: photosummary master excel sheet, showing individual presence during photographic encounters; and PDF catalogues for each pod, with lineage stated when known. Due to its large size, raw photographic data, zipped by year, is available by request.