The Killing Kind
Unsolved Forever?
Marbled mystery stumps the sleuths
Maybe the mystery of the divided killer whales will forever remain locked in history. Can we still find clues today in their descendants? Is there ancestral knowledge lingering in these highly intelligent creatures? Or can we only study the present-day habits to understand the differing psyches?
Animal intelligence
| Interesting fact: Killer whales, or "orcas," actually belong to the dolphin family; they are not true whales. However, because of their large size, orca hunting comes under the purview of the International Whaling Commission. |
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this mystery is the notion that killer whales have an intelligence akin to humans. The split of the species in British Columbia killer whales could be a cultural choice – much like humans evolved culturally, separated by choice due to religion, ideology and warfare. Like humans, these orcas may also disagree on the fundamentals – what to eat and where to roam.
If we could talk to these intelligent creatures, what would they tell us? Scientists are a long way from decoding the grunts and squeaks the killer whales use in their vocalizations. But never say never.
The southern resident killer whales – chatty, fish-loving, tourist magnets – remain one of the most studied cetacean species in the world. Scientists still document their vocalizations, follow their movements and name their babies. Most of the field research – monitoring their daily movements – takes place at the Center for Whale Research on San Juan Island in Washington State.
Less is known about the Pacific Coast's more elusive, meat-eating transient killer whales – they have a large home range and some individuals may not be seen for several years at a time.
| Killer Whale Skeleton |
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Endangered
B.C. and Washington's peculiar killer whales – living together yet apart – remain a great evolutionary mystery. But they are also highly endangered. Time may be running out for these intelligent creatures.
The vanishing southern resident killer whales that swallow summer salmon around Victoria and Vancouver now number only 86. Concern is high that their numbers will continue to decline in these busy waters, in the face of declining salmon stocks.
Still, things might be even worse for the 200 or so transient killer whales that navigate these same busy waters. Scientists now declare these transients the most polluted marine mammals on the planet. Why? Transients hunt and eat other polluted mammals and rapidly accumulate startling level of toxins that affect reproductive health. That's dangerous. Without healthy newborns, the transient population will go extinct.
Will B.C.'s odd killer whales – both the residents and the transients – survive the stresses from humans? Perhaps that's the greatest mystery of all.