Fourth International Orca Symposium and Workshop - CEBC - CNRS

4. Habitat loss
Habitat encompasses inshore and offshore waters, including terrestrial watersheds needed
by killer whales and their prey for normal life processes and can be reduced by human activities
such as urbanization, fishing, pollution, climate change, etc.
High Research Priorities:
• Identify killer whales habitat and how it changes seasonally.
• Understand how human activity affects this killer whales habitat through:
o Noise (high research priority)
o prey reduction (eg. fishing, deforestation) (high)
o pollution (toxics, turbidity, debris) (medium)
o presence (medium)
Medium Priorities:
• Typify killer whales habitat according to use (eg. feeding, resting, socializing,
traveling, breeding etc.).
5. Introduction of Exotic Species
Global transport of humans, their goods and animals leads to the introduction of exotic marine
plants, organisms and pathogens into killer whale habitat, that might affect the health of killer whale
populations and their prey.
Research priorities:
• What affects might exotic species have on killer whales?
o disease (high research priority)
o Competition (medium)
o Prey (medium)
o Aquaculture/hatcheries (medium)
• What exotic species have been introduced? (medium)
FOURTH INTERNATIONAL ORCA SYMPOSIUM AND WORKSHOPS
SEPTEMBER 23-28 2002, CEBC-CNRS, France
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