Fine-scale foraging movements by fish-eating killer whales (Orcinus orca) relate to the vertical distributions and escape responses of salmonid prey (Oncorhynchus spp.)

• Main Authors: Wright, Brianna, Ford, John, Ellis, Graeme, Deecke, Volker, Shapiro, Ari, Battaile, Brian, Trites, Andrew
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Figshare 2017
• Subjects: Cell Biology; Evolutionary Biology; FOS Biological sciences; 59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified; FOS Earth and related environmental sciences; Ecology; Sociology; FOS Sociology; 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified; Inorganic Chemistry; FOS Chemical sciences; Science Policy; Pacific; Lambda; Killer Whale; Orca; Orcinus orca; Killer whale
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3696301; https://figshare.com/collections/Fine-scale_foraging_movements_by_fish-eating_killer_whales_Orcinus_orca_relate_to_the_vertical_distributions_and_escape_responses_of_salmonid_prey_Oncorhynchus_spp_/3696301

Abstract Background We sought to quantitatively describe the fine-scale foraging behavior of northern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca), a population of fish-eating killer whales that feeds almost exclusively on Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). To reconstruct the underwater movements of these specialist predators, we deployed 34 biologging Dtags on 32 individuals and collected high-resolution, three-dimensional accelerometry and acoustic data. We used the resulting dive paths to compare killer whale foraging behavior to the distributions of different salmonid prey species. Understanding the foraging movements of these threatened predators is important from a conservation standpoint, since prey availability has been identified as a limiting factor in their population dynamics and recovery. Results Three-dimensional dive tracks indicated that foraging (N = 701) and non-foraging dives (N = 10,618) were kinematically distinct (Wilks’ lambda: λ 16 = 0.321, P