Cultures of the sea
Orcas live in matrilineal pods led by the oldest females, and each population has its own dialect and its own diet. In the Pacific Northwest, Resident orcas eat fish, almost entirely Chinook salmon; Bigg's, or transient, orcas hunt seals, sea lions and whales; offshore orcas eat sharks. The populations do not mix or interbreed, though they share the same water.
A spy hop, rising vertically to look above the surface, is how an orca checks what is happening on top, a boat, a beach, a seal on the ice.
The Southern Residents
The Southern Resident community of Washington and British Columbia numbers about 73 animals and has been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 2005. Too few Chinook salmon, vessel noise that interferes with hunting by sound, and pollutants such as PCBs are the three causes. The Center for Whale Research has counted every individual since 1976.
A longer guide to this species, with what it means for Southern California, is on My Clean Ocean →