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Species
Transients (West Coast Transients), and fish eaters that specialize in sharks called Offshore
Killer Whales (Ford et al., 1998; Ford et al, 2011).
Differences: The better understood Resident and Transient killer whale ecotypes differ
by genetics (Hoelzel et al., 2002), diet (Baird and Dill, 1995; Ford et al., 1998), behavior
(Baird, 2000), vocal repertoire (Ford 1990) and morphology (Baird and Stacey 1988).
Noise: In the presences of high underwater noise levels, killer whales speak louder and
slower, increasing their call amplitude and duration (Foote et al., 2004; Holt et al.,
2008).
Diet: Southern Resident killer whales are fish eaters that specialize in salmon
(Oncorhynchus spp.), predominantly Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) during the
summer and early fall (Ford and Ellis 2006; Ford et al., 2010; Hanson et al., 2010) and
prey availability is a potential limiting factor in the recovery of this population.
Estimated Chinook prey requirements for individual southern residents depends on fish
caloric content, the length and sex of the whale, and female whale's pregnancy or
lactation status (Williams et al., 2011). Estimates suggest that the 2009 population of
Southern Residents (numbering 87 individuals) could consume 12–23% of available
Fraser River Chinook between May and September (Williams et al., 2011). If the
population reached 155 animals by 2029 energetic requirements could be 75% higher
(Williams et al., 2011).
PCBs: In both Resident and Transient killer whales from the Salish Sea, PCB
accumulation is strongly related to age, sex, and ecotype with marine mammal-eating
transients having higher levels of PCBs than residents (Ross et al., 2000). PCB levels in
the majority of Residents and Transients surpass those found to be immuno-toxic and
endocrine disrupting in harbor seals (Ross et al., 2000; Krahn et al., 2007) and PCB
concentrations are 2.5-3.7 higher in Southern Residents than Northern Residents
(Hickie et al., 2007).
Harbor seals
Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), the most common pinniped in the Salish Sea, eat seasonally and
regionally abundant fish species and have been documented to eat over 45 species of fish and 4
species of cephalopods in the Salish Sea (Lance et al., 2012).
Marbled Murrelets
The Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is an iconic seabird that nests in old
growth forest and forages in marine waters. In Washington State's half of the Salish Sea, the
breeding (summer) Marbled Murrelet population has declined 7.4% annually between 2001 and
2010 (Miller et al., 2012).
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