Northern Resident Killer Whales in British Columbia Photo-Identification Catalogue 2007
Graeme M. Ellis, John K.B. Ford and Jared R. Towers Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, British Columbia V9T 6N7 © Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2007
Northern Resident Killer Whales Photo-Identification Catalogue 2007 in British Columbia
Graeme M. Ellis, John K.B. Ford and Jared R. Towers
Pacific Biological Station Fisheries and Oceans Canada 3190 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia V9T 6N7 © Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2007 This catalogue was prepared for inclusion in a report on the current status of the northern resident killer whale population, to be published in fall, 2007. Preface We have made it available for the 2007 summer season to facilitate whale identification by our research colleagues, whale-watch operators, and others interested in this population. Images in this catalogue are copyrighted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and are not to be reproduced without permission of the authors.
ii Northern Resident Killer Whales A1 Pod A32 ( 1964 A37 ( 1977 A46 ( 1982 A36 Matriline n a l C - A
A1 & 1927
...... A36 & A20 ( 1947 1953
A32 ( A44 & A37 ( A46 ( 1973
Key
Deceased killer whale with estimated A1 & or known birth date 1927 * Possibly dead
Genealogical relationship: Positive Probable ...... Possible
1 Northern Resident Killer Whales A1 Pod A12 & 1941 A12 Matriline
A33 ( 1971 A34 & 1975
A34 and her offspring have been known to travel apart from A12 and A33 in recent years.
A55 ( 1990 A62 & 1993 A67 1996 A80 2004
A83 2005 A12 &
A31 ( A33 ( A34 & 1958
A55 ( A62 & A67 A74 A80 2000
A83
2 Northern Resident Killer Whales A1 Pod A30 & 1947 A30 Matriline A2 & 1927 ...... A30 & A3 ( ≤1952
A6 ( A38 ( A39 ( A40 A50 & A54 & 1964 1981
A72 A84 A75 A86
A38 ( 1970 A39 ( 1975 A50 & 1984 A54 & 1989 n a l C - A
A72 1999 A84 2005 A75 2001 A86 2006
3 Northern Resident Killer Whales ......
A4 Pod . A11 & 1958 . A11 Matriline .
A13 sustained an injury to the tip of his dorsal fin in 2006, and it is likely that his fin now looks significantly different than in this photo.
A35 & 1974 A13 ( 1978 A56 1990 A82 is believed to have been hit by a speedboat in the summer of 2006. It is not clear at this time whether or not it has or will recover from the accident.
A52 & 1987 A70 1999 A77 2003
...... first offspring of A10 . . . . A11 A81 2004 & A82 2004 A35 & A13 ( A48 & A56 1983
A52 & A59 & A70 A77 A65 1992 1996
A76 A81 A82 2002
4 Northern Resident Killer Whales ...... A24 & 1967 A4 Pod A24 Matriline
A73 is also known as Springer. In January 2002, she was found alone and emaciated in Puget A64 1995 A71 1999 A78 2003 Sound. With a poor chance of survival in Puget Sound, she was captured and relocated to Blackfish Sound in the hope she would reunite with her matriline (A24). After release in July 2002, she travelled with various other
resident killer whales before n a "settling in" with the closely- l C
related A11 matriline. - A
A73 & 2000
unknown ...... A10 & A4 ( 1941 ≤1952 to A11 ...... A24 & A19 A47 1973 1983
A41 A45 & A49 A53 A58 A64 A71 A78 1981 1983 1985 1988 1992
A68 A73 & 1997
5 Northern Resident Killer Whales A5 Pod A28 & 1974 A42 & 1980 A8 Matriline
A66 1996 A79 2004
A9 & 1937
...... A8 & A5 ( A26 ( 1953 1957 1971
A28 & A42 &
A57 & A66 A79 1991
6 Northern Resident Killer Whales A5 Pod A43 & 1981 A60 ( 1992 A23 Matriline
A60 was struck by a boat propellor in 2004, and in the years since the accident his wounds have slowly healed.
A69 1996 n a l C - A7 & A 1927 . . A23 & 1947
A16 & A21 A27 ( A29 A43 & A60 ( 1964 1967 1971 1977
A63 A69 1994
7 Northern Resident Killer Whales A5 Pod A51 & 1986 A61 ( 1994 A25 Matriline
A85 2005
A14 & 1947
A17 A18 & A25 & A15 ( 1964 1969 1971 1979
A51 & A61 (
A85
8 Northern Resident Killer Whales B1 Pod B7 & 1947 B7 Matriline
B10 ( 1979 B13 ( 1987 B14 & 1991 B15 1995 n a l C - A
B16 2004
B13's fin collapsed completely towards his left side during the summer of 2006, shortly after this photo was taken.
unknown . .
...... B11 & B2 ( 1927 ≤1952
...... B7 & B1 ( B3 ( B5 ( B6 ( ≤1951 1958 1963 1973
B8 ( B10 ( B12 ( B13 ( B14 & B15 1964 1984
B16
9 Northern Resident Killer Whales C1 Pod C6 & 1955 C6 Matriline C21's body was recovered and necropsied near Prince Rupert in 2006 and showed signs of blunt force trauma indicative of a major collision. Her calf C27 was unknown seen travelling with C8 after the
. accident. .
...... C4 & C3 ( C7 ( 1937 ≤1952 ≤1951 ...... C1 ( C6 & C8 & 1975 C14 ( 1985 C18 ( 1991 ≤1951
C9 ( C8 & C12 C14 ( C18 ( 1971 1979
C16 ( C19 C21 & C22 C25 1994
C27
C16 ( 1989 C19 1991 C22 1997 C25 2004
C27 2006
10 Northern Resident Killer Whales C1 Pod C10 & 1971 C10 Matriline
C13 & 1985 C17 ( 1989 C20 ( 1993 C23 1998 C26 2004 n a l C - A
C24 2000
C5 & 1924
C11 ( C2 ( C15 C10 & 1945 1957 1964
C13 & C17 ( C20 ( C23 C26
C24
11 Northern Resident Killer Whales D1 Pod D1 Pod D9 & 1971 D10 & 1978 D13 & 1984 D11 Matriline D7 Matriline
D11 & 1975
D12 & 1982 D15 1987 D19 1998 D23 2005
D17 & 1990
D20 1999 D7 & 1941 D21 2004 D4 ( D8 & D9 & D10 & D13 & 1958 1967
D12 & D16 D18 D15 D19 D23 1987 1995
D20
unknown . .
...... D3 & D1 ( 1939 ≤1952
D2 ( D5 ( D11 & 1956 1963
D14 D17 & D22 1987 2004
D21
12 Northern Resident Killer Whales H1 Pod H1 Pod H5 & 1973 H3 Matriline H5 Matriline
H7 ( 1981 H8 & 1986 H9 & 1988 H13 2004 n a l C - A
H14 2005 H12 2002
unknown . .
...... H6 & H1 ( 1942 ≤1952 ...... H3 & H2 ( H5 & 1959 1965
H4 ( H7 ( H8 & H10 H9 & H11 H13 1974 1994 2000
H14 H12
13 Northern Resident Killer Whales I1 Pod I19 & 1968 I23 ( 1973 I1 Matriline
I54 & 1983 I92 1999 I117 2005
I71 & 1993 I97 2002 I114 2006
I112 2006
14 Northern Resident Killer Whales I40 & 1980
I69 & 1991 I82 & 1994 I90 1999 I115 2005 n a l C - A
I113 2006 I116 2006
unknown . .
...... I1 & I3 ( 1952 ≤1954
I19 & I23 ( I40 &
I54 & I56 I70 I92 I117 I69 & I82 & I90 I115 1986 1993
I71 & I81 I97 I114 I113 I116 1997
I112
15 Northern Resident Killer Whales I22 Matriline I2 Pod I14 ≤ 1954 ...... ( . I5 ≤ 1954 ( . I2 I8 1962 1936 & ( I39 16 I39 I22 ( I22 Northern ResidentKiller Whales Northern ( & 1980 & 1965 I55 1987 I28 1974 ( I17 Matriline I18 Pod I93 1992
. . . . I91 I26 1996 & 1975 I118 2006 I17 & 1959
I50 & 1982 I57 & 1989 I99 2003 n a l C - A
I89 1996 I100 2003
I17 &
I26 & I38 I50 & I57 & I87 I88 I99 1979 1996? 2000 . . I60 I93 I91 I118 I89 I100 1987
17 Northern Resident Killer Whales I18 Pod I20 & 1964 I18 Matriline
I21 & 1979 I52 ( 1986 I83 1997 I101 2003
I119 2006
Key
Deceased killer whale with estimated A1 & or known birth date 1927 * Possibly dead
Genealogical relationship: Positive Probable ...... Possible
18 Northern Resident Killer Whales I24 & 1980 I53 ( 1986
During the course of this study, H1, I1, I2, and I18 pods have been I96 2002 encountered infrequently, suggesting that they prefer to spend more time off the north and west coasts of BC. n a I48 ( 1983 l C - A
I18 & 1947
I20 & I7 & I49 ( I24 & I53 ( I58 173 1968 1976 1989 1992
I21 & I52 ( I66 I83 I101 I48 ( I59 I96 1991 1988
I84 I95 I119 1996 2001
19 Northern Resident Killer Whales G1 Pod G3 & 1956
G3 Matriline unknown . .
...... G1 ( G3 & ≤1952
G20 & G19 ( G22 & G32 ( G44 1976 1989
G37 & G48 G56 G61 G69 G73 G51 & G68 G74 1994 1998 2001 2004
G63 G80 G81 G20 & 1972 G22 & 1979
G37 & 1984 G48 1990 G69 2001 G73 2004 G51 & 1992
G63 1999 G80 2006 G81 2006
20 Northern Resident Killer Whales G1 Pod G31 & 1981 G1 Pod G16 Matriline G31 Matriline
G32 ( 1982 G39 ( 1986 G52 1992 G54 1994 G66 1999 * n a l C - G
Both G32 and G39 received dorsal fin injuries in 2006. It is not known how these types of injuries happen but they are G18 & possibly caused by bites from 1945 other killer whales. These animals may look G11 ( G16 & G31 & significantly different now 1962 1971 compared to their appearance in these photos. G39 ( G52 G54 G66 *
21 Northern Resident Killer Whales G1 Pod G25 & 1975 G23 & 1980 G17 Matriline
G40 ( 1987 G60 1998 G78 2004 G50 1991 G59 1994
unknown . .
...... G17 & G7 ( 1948 ≤1952
G9 ( G25 & G23 & G38 ( 1965
G40 ( G57 G60 G78 G50 G59 G65 G79 1992
22 Northern Resident Killer Whales G38 ( 1986 G1 Pod G29 & 1970 G29 Matriline
G65 2001 G79 2005 G45 ( 1988 G46 & 1991 n a l C - G
G72 2004
G30 & 1919 . . . G24 & 1941
G5 ( G29 & 1958
G45 ( G46 &
G72
23 Northern Resident Killer Whales G12 Pod G12 Pod G27 & 1973 G8 Matriline G27 Matriline
G41 & 1987 G58 1996 G64 2000 G76 2005
Since being orphaned in 2000, the juvenile G62 has spent much of it's time in the presence of members of the G2 matriline.
G62 1999
G12 & 1955
G8 & G27 & G33 ( G42 1971 1978 1986
G35 ( G47 G62 G41 & G58 G64 G76 1985 1990
G75 2005
24 Northern Resident Killer Whales G12 Pod G2 & 1961 G2 Matriline
G34 & 1977 G53 1994 G77 2005 n a l C - G
G49 & 1990 G70 2003
G2 &
G34 & G28 ( G36 G43 G53 G77 1981 1985 1989
G49 & G55 G70 1994
G71
G71 2005
25 Northern Resident Killer Whales I11 Pod I11 & 1954 I11 Matriline
I12 & 1970 I13 & 1974 I42 ( 1983
I47 ( 1985 I78 1997 I105 2004 I108 2005
I11 &
I12 & I13 & I37 ( I42 ( I64 ( 1979
I47 ( I78 I105 I75 I108 1995
26 Northern Resident Killer Whales I64 ( 1990 n a l C - G
27 Northern Resident Killer Whales I11 Pod I16 & 1968 I27 & 1974 I15 Matriline
I43 ( 1983 I51 & 1986 I98 2002 I63 1990 I77 1997
I106 2004 Although the matriarch I15, died in late 2005 or early 2006, the matriline will retain her name because the group maintained its cohesion throughout 2006. In time, however, the animals in this group may begin to travel apart and if so the groups will be renamed appropriately as separate matrilines.
28 Northern Resident Killer Whales I4 & 1980 I65 & 1990
I107 2004 I76 1997 I102 2003 I103 2003 n a l C - G
I15 & 1952
I16 & I27 & I4 & I41 ( I44 ( I65 & 1980 1985
I43 ( I51 & I72 I85 I98 I109 I63 I77 I107 I76 I102 I103 1993 1998 2005
I106
29 Northern Resident Killer Whales I31 Pod I33 & 1970 I35 & 1974 I31 Matriline
I45 ( 1985 I62 ( 1988 I110 2005 I67 ( 1991 I74 1994
30 Northern Resident Killer Whales I46 ( 1985 I68 & 1992
I104 2002 I111 2006 n a l C - G I80 1997
I31 & 1946
I32 ( I33 & I35 & I36 & I46 ( I68 & 1963 1980
I45 ( I62 ( I79 I94 I110 I61 I67 ( I74 I86 I104 I80 I111 1997 2001 1988 1998
31 Northern Resident Killer Whales R1 Pod R3 ( 1956 R12 ( 1966 R1 Pod R2 Matriline R5 Matriline
unknown ...... R2 & R6 ( 1938 ≤1954
R3 R12 ( ( R22 & 1984
R29 & 1994 R35 1998 R39 2001 R44 2004
R48 2006
32 Northern Resident Killer Whales R5 & 1948
R4 & 1964 n a l C - R
R26 ( 1988 R28 ( 1992 R33 1995 R36 1998 R41 2002
33 Northern Resident Killer Whales R1 Pod R5 Matriline, continued
R18 & 1967
R25 ( 1987 R37 1999 R46 2004 With the birth of R48 in 2006, the R5 matriline became the first known example of 5 living generations within one family group of northern resident killer whales. This group of animals is by far the largest single matriline within the northern resident community, consisting of 22 members.
R22 &
R29 & R35 R39 R44
R48 34 Northern Resident Killer Whales R24 & 1987 R30 1994 n a l C - R
R40 2001 R45 2004
R31 1997
R5 &
R4 & R18 & R19 R20 & R24 & R30 1975 1979
R26 ( R28 ( R33 R36 R41 R21 ( R25 ( R37 R46 R31 R32 R40 R45 1982 1996
35 Northern Resident Killer Whales R1 Pod R17 & 1965 R17 Matriline
R23 & 1985 R34 1996 R43 2002
R38 2000 R42 2002 R49 2006
R17 &
R23 & R27 ( R34 R43 1990
R38 R42 R49
36 Northern Resident Killer Whales R1 Pod R7 & 1944 W1 Pod W3 & 1940 R7 Matriline W3 Matriline
R13 & 1979 W2 ( 1960 W5 ( 1974 n a l C - R
R47 2005
R7 & W3 & ...... R8 ( R11 R13 & W1 ( W2 ( W5 ( 1961 1973 ≤1958
R47
37 Northern Resident Killer Whales We are grateful to the friends and colleagues who have Photographic contributed photographs for this book. They are listed below. catalogue number photographs photographer of photos Credits Northern Graeme Ellis 211 Resident John Ford 12 whales Jared Towers 8 Andrea Rambeau 5 Alex Morton 2
Cover photo Graeme Ellis
38 Northern Resident Killer Whales