Cooperative hunting behavior, prey selectivity and prey handling by pack ice killer whales ( Orcinus orca ), type B, in Antarctic Peninsula waters

• Main Authors: Pitman, Robert L., Durban, John W.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 2011
• Subjects: Antarctica; hunting behavior; killer whale; Leptonychotes weddellii; Orcinus orca; prey handling; prey specialization; Weddell seal; Environmental Sciences; Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Hydrurga; Weddell; Antarc*; Antarctic Minke whale; Balaenoptera bonaerensis; Crabeater Seals; Hydrurga leptonyx; Killer Whale; Leopard Seals; minke whale; Orca; Weddell Seal; Weddell Seals; Killer whale
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdeptcommercepub/306; https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usdeptcommercepub/article/1305/viewcontent/Pitman_MMS_2011_Cooperative_hunting.pdf

Currently, there are three recognized ecotypes (or species) of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Antarctic waters, including type B, a putative prey specialist on seals, which we refer to as “pack ice killer whale†(PI killer whale). During January 2009, we spent a total of 75.4 h observing three d...