Pods of killer whales have been grabbing public attention in recent weeks.
People have been posting killer whale sightings to social media, showing the creatures—the largest members of the dolphin family—swimming alongside and even underneath boats.
DFO research scientist Dr. Jack Lawson says there are a couple hundred known killer whales that regularly swim in the coastal waters of Newfoundland and Labrador, part of the West Atlantic population.
(Photo courtesy Dr. Jack Lawson via Twitter.)
He says the whales are fairly mobile, moreso than the killer whale populations of British Columbia. Lawson says what they don’t yet know is whether these particular whales are fish or mammal-eaters.
The family group is large as well, with more than one mature male, which is not typically seen in killer whale populations. He says it could be that a number of smaller groups have come together either to feed together or “swap genetics.”
(File photo.)
Lawson is asking anyone who gets photos or videos of killer whales in NL waters to send along left side photos of the animals to help identify individual animals. Email jack.lawson@df-mpo.gc.ca or tweet @drjwlawson.
