Robson Bight update: Orcas facing summer peril
In mid May, after months of delay, British Columbia’s Ministry of Environment finally issued a Request for Proposals to salvage the diesel fuel tanker that has been lying at the bottom of Robson Bight since last August’s tragic barge accident. Several proposals were received by the June 4th closing date, and are now being evaluated with assistance from an ‘outside’ consultant. It will be several more weeks before a contract is signed. Sadly, this means there is no chance that the tanker will be removed before the orcas return for their annual “season” in the Johnstone Strait area. It should be considered too risky to remove the tanker while orcas are nearby. And, as no one knows how long it will take for the tanker shell to corrode through and release its deadly cargo, the orcas are now facing a summer of peril.
In the aftermath of the accident, fully 25% of the Northern Resident orca community was exposed to toxic diesel fumes. The health consequences of this exposure are potentially very serious. Though some of the exposed groups have been sighted during the past few months & appear intact, the most heavily exposed group, the A30 family, has not been seen at all. It has been common for the A30s to be sighted in northern B.C. waters by now, so their absence is a worry. However, the deviation from expected behaviour does not mean the A30s are in trouble. We hope the concerns are in our minds and not their bodies, but we are anxiously awaiting the first sighting of this important and favourite orca family.
None of this delay and concern was necessary. The government has powers that enable it to take urgent actions when needed, and can issue contracts by Direct Award. Doing this avoids cumbersome delays built into the competitive bidding process, and facilitates getting jobs done that must be done in the public interest. Given the dire urgency of the situation in Robson Bight, and the clear public interest involved, it was obvious that a Direct Award of the salvage contract was not only appropriate, but necessary. Unfortunately, despite urging from North Island MLA Claire Trevena and non-government groups, BC’s Environment Minister Barry Penner could not be convinced. The upshot is the situation that we, and the orcas, are now facing.
At this point, the clear priority is for steps to be taken to protect the orcas, and the sensitive ecology of Robson Bight, from a potential release of diesel from the tanker before it can be removed. This means oil spill cleanup equipment needs to put in place, with a trained crew nearby and on standby. We are left with the hope that governments are able to put these essential contingency plans in place, in time. Given the slow pace at which governments have acted so far, it is very difficult to be optimistic.
An anxious summer lies ahead.
dinsdag 10 juni 2008
zaterdag 7 juni 2008
A date with killer whales
ABU DHABI — A group of Emirati youngsters aboard their private boat recently sighted killer whales in the Abu Dhabi waters.
Although the UAE is home to over a third of the 80 known species of cetaceans, few killer whales have been spotted in Abu Dhabi waters, much less photographed and filmed.
Khaled Al Hashimi, Khaled Al Rumaithi and Saud Al Rumaithi alerted the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) of the sighting and provided the agency film footage and photographs. "I've never seen anything as magnificent as this before on any of our boat trips over the past years," said Khaled Al Rumaithi.
"There were about seven whales swimming in two groups. One of the whales was almost 10 metres long and had its calf close by. We didn't feel any danger from them and they were a beautiful sight that we will never forget," added Khaled Al Hashimi.
According to Thabit Zahran Al Abdessalaam, Director of Marine Biodiversity Management Sector at EAD, the killer whale, species orcinus orca, although belonging to the group of cetaceans, which includes whales and dolphins, is not strictly a whale. It belongs to the oceanic dolphin family and is the largest species in this family.
"Killer whales are resourceful and opportunistic predators. They feed mostly on fish, but are also known to hunt marine mammals, including sea lions, seals and even large whales - hence the common name killer whale," he said.
He noted that killer whales, despite the name, are usually not considered a threat to humans. There have, however, been isolated reports of captive killer whales attacking their handlers in dolphinaria and marine theme parks.
The distribution of the species is cosmopolitan and it is found in all the world's oceans and seas, from the glacial Arctic and Antarctic regions to warm and tropical seas. They occasionally visit the Gulf waters.
"These animals are highly social and some populations of the species are composed of matrilineal family groups, an arrangement or system in which one belongs to one's mother's lineage, and consequently tends to be the most stable of any animal species," said Al Abdessalaam.
"With the images of whale carcasses being washed ashore on beaches around the world, we cannot remain idle and watch these beautiful creatures continue to be impacted by human threats, habitat loss and marine pollution. The spotting of these magnificent creatures in Abu Dhabi waters clearly demonstrates their vulnerability. EAD strongly urges the community once again to help support our efforts in protecting these ecological treasures and to live up to their moral obligation to protect all marine life," said Al Abdessalaam.
Although the UAE is home to over a third of the 80 known species of cetaceans, few killer whales have been spotted in Abu Dhabi waters, much less photographed and filmed.
Khaled Al Hashimi, Khaled Al Rumaithi and Saud Al Rumaithi alerted the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) of the sighting and provided the agency film footage and photographs. "I've never seen anything as magnificent as this before on any of our boat trips over the past years," said Khaled Al Rumaithi.
"There were about seven whales swimming in two groups. One of the whales was almost 10 metres long and had its calf close by. We didn't feel any danger from them and they were a beautiful sight that we will never forget," added Khaled Al Hashimi.
According to Thabit Zahran Al Abdessalaam, Director of Marine Biodiversity Management Sector at EAD, the killer whale, species orcinus orca, although belonging to the group of cetaceans, which includes whales and dolphins, is not strictly a whale. It belongs to the oceanic dolphin family and is the largest species in this family.
"Killer whales are resourceful and opportunistic predators. They feed mostly on fish, but are also known to hunt marine mammals, including sea lions, seals and even large whales - hence the common name killer whale," he said.
He noted that killer whales, despite the name, are usually not considered a threat to humans. There have, however, been isolated reports of captive killer whales attacking their handlers in dolphinaria and marine theme parks.
The distribution of the species is cosmopolitan and it is found in all the world's oceans and seas, from the glacial Arctic and Antarctic regions to warm and tropical seas. They occasionally visit the Gulf waters.
"These animals are highly social and some populations of the species are composed of matrilineal family groups, an arrangement or system in which one belongs to one's mother's lineage, and consequently tends to be the most stable of any animal species," said Al Abdessalaam.
"With the images of whale carcasses being washed ashore on beaches around the world, we cannot remain idle and watch these beautiful creatures continue to be impacted by human threats, habitat loss and marine pollution. The spotting of these magnificent creatures in Abu Dhabi waters clearly demonstrates their vulnerability. EAD strongly urges the community once again to help support our efforts in protecting these ecological treasures and to live up to their moral obligation to protect all marine life," said Al Abdessalaam.
vrijdag 6 juni 2008
University whale watchers spot their first Orca of the year
A GROUP of killer whale researchers, in Shetland as part of a two-month long study into the presence of the mammals in waters around the isles, made their first sighting last weekend.
The incidence of killer whales around Shetland have become increasingly prevalent since the early 1990s and rough estimates suggest that the population in
the north of Scotland, from Caithness to the Northern Isles, is around 200.
The new research is being carried out by the University of Aberdeen zoologist Andrew Foote and Volker Deecke from the University of St Andrews. The four-strong team, completed by Alice Rocco and PhD student Harriet Bolt, arrived a fortnight ago to undertake research into the incidences and behaviour of the mammals.
They had their first sighting of killer whales in Mousa Sound last Saturday evening, meaning the two-month long fact-finding expedition is likely to prove more fruitful than Dr Foote and Ms Bolt’s visit last summer, when they caught their first glimpse of the killer whales on the final day of their visit.
That piece of research concluded that the presence of killer whales could be partly to blame for a sharp drop in the native seal population, discovering a correlation between the increasing number of observations of the killer whales preying on harbour seals and the decline of the seal population. The number of common seals in Shetland fell from around 6,000 in 1997 to less than 4,000 two years ago.
This year, they are seeking to build up photo identification of the mammals’ dorsal fins and saddle patches, which are unique to each killer whale, in order to ascertain how many of the same mammals show up in different regions. The most common sightings appear to be in the Bluemull and Yell Sounds, though this may be simply down to the fact that the inter-island ferries are crossing those channels on a regular basis.
Mr Deecke said they were looking to build up a picture of the mammals’ diet and monitor their calls to see if there was a suggestion of social interaction with pods observed in other areas, while they are also going through museum specimens for DNA to try and identify family groups and mating patterns.
“Genetics will always show a more historic estimate of movement going back over a larger time scale,” he said.
The presence of killer, or orca, whales in areas of the Pacific and the way they affect marine life has been a “big bone of controversy”, Mr Deecke said. According to the journal British Birds, killer whales are estimated to have eaten 50 eider ducks, estimated to be one per cent of Shetland’s total eider population, in one recent incident.
“A killer whale is estimated to consume the equivalent of a harbour seal each day, so the potential impact is quite real,” said Mr Deecke.
In October George Anderson, skipper of the pelagic boat Adenia, will again take the researchers out on trips off Lerwick and Muckle Flugga, where they can observe and catalogue pods of whales feeding, often on mackerel, around the fishing nets.
Meanwhile, the researchers are to stage a rescheduled talk on killer whales at the Garthspool offices of Shetland Amenity Trust next Friday (13th June) at 7pm, with free entry.
The research team is heavily reliant on members of the public alerting them to possible sightings and they are asking anyone who spots killer whales to contact the team immediately on 07500 380524, and Mr Foote said they were keen to hear from anyone with photos or other information.
In particular, they are asking watchers to try to get photos of the animals’ dorsal fins and saddle patches, to look out for the size and composition of the group, for any distinctive markings and incidents of predation.
Mr Foote added: “So far it’s been a real pleasure working up here and we’d like to say thank you to all the people on the islands.”
The incidence of killer whales around Shetland have become increasingly prevalent since the early 1990s and rough estimates suggest that the population in
the north of Scotland, from Caithness to the Northern Isles, is around 200.
The new research is being carried out by the University of Aberdeen zoologist Andrew Foote and Volker Deecke from the University of St Andrews. The four-strong team, completed by Alice Rocco and PhD student Harriet Bolt, arrived a fortnight ago to undertake research into the incidences and behaviour of the mammals.
They had their first sighting of killer whales in Mousa Sound last Saturday evening, meaning the two-month long fact-finding expedition is likely to prove more fruitful than Dr Foote and Ms Bolt’s visit last summer, when they caught their first glimpse of the killer whales on the final day of their visit.
That piece of research concluded that the presence of killer whales could be partly to blame for a sharp drop in the native seal population, discovering a correlation between the increasing number of observations of the killer whales preying on harbour seals and the decline of the seal population. The number of common seals in Shetland fell from around 6,000 in 1997 to less than 4,000 two years ago.
This year, they are seeking to build up photo identification of the mammals’ dorsal fins and saddle patches, which are unique to each killer whale, in order to ascertain how many of the same mammals show up in different regions. The most common sightings appear to be in the Bluemull and Yell Sounds, though this may be simply down to the fact that the inter-island ferries are crossing those channels on a regular basis.
Mr Deecke said they were looking to build up a picture of the mammals’ diet and monitor their calls to see if there was a suggestion of social interaction with pods observed in other areas, while they are also going through museum specimens for DNA to try and identify family groups and mating patterns.
“Genetics will always show a more historic estimate of movement going back over a larger time scale,” he said.
The presence of killer, or orca, whales in areas of the Pacific and the way they affect marine life has been a “big bone of controversy”, Mr Deecke said. According to the journal British Birds, killer whales are estimated to have eaten 50 eider ducks, estimated to be one per cent of Shetland’s total eider population, in one recent incident.
“A killer whale is estimated to consume the equivalent of a harbour seal each day, so the potential impact is quite real,” said Mr Deecke.
In October George Anderson, skipper of the pelagic boat Adenia, will again take the researchers out on trips off Lerwick and Muckle Flugga, where they can observe and catalogue pods of whales feeding, often on mackerel, around the fishing nets.
Meanwhile, the researchers are to stage a rescheduled talk on killer whales at the Garthspool offices of Shetland Amenity Trust next Friday (13th June) at 7pm, with free entry.
The research team is heavily reliant on members of the public alerting them to possible sightings and they are asking anyone who spots killer whales to contact the team immediately on 07500 380524, and Mr Foote said they were keen to hear from anyone with photos or other information.
In particular, they are asking watchers to try to get photos of the animals’ dorsal fins and saddle patches, to look out for the size and composition of the group, for any distinctive markings and incidents of predation.
Mr Foote added: “So far it’s been a real pleasure working up here and we’d like to say thank you to all the people on the islands.”
donderdag 5 juni 2008
Orcas make a rare appearance
WHALE watchers off Port Macquarie were treated to an ocean spectacle when a pod of killer whales surfaced on the weekend.
Owner of Port Macquarie Cruise Adventures John Fowler said the distinctive black and white marine mammals were a rare sight here.
"I've been out here for 14 years and 1100 trips and it's the first time I've ever seen them," he said.
"They follow the hump back whales on their migration north."
The pod of six orcas surfaced while the Discovery whale watching boat and new Gemini jet boat were on a tour on Sunday.
"They just swam over next to the boat and said hello to us," Mr Fowler said.
"I was on the Gemini boat and was standing and the big killer whale was longer than the boat which is 8.5m. His fin was taller than me. It was absolutely huge."
Laurence Orel from National Parks and Wildlife Service said orcas could be found in oceans and seas across the world.
"It's certainly unusual for people to sight them," he said.
"One of their functions, as is the nature of the jungle of the ocean, is they prey on newborn whale calves. They prefer to feed on the tongue and lips."
Mr Orel said while their hunting methods sounded gruesome, it was a positive indication of a healthy ecosystem.
"The hump back whales were almost wiped out in the '70s and their numbers have been slowly increasing ever since," he said.
"It's a good sign that we are starting to see a more natural balance to the system."
The whale watching season started in Port Macquarie about a fortnight ago and will continue until the end of October/ early November.
Owner of Port Macquarie Cruise Adventures John Fowler said the distinctive black and white marine mammals were a rare sight here.
"I've been out here for 14 years and 1100 trips and it's the first time I've ever seen them," he said.
"They follow the hump back whales on their migration north."
The pod of six orcas surfaced while the Discovery whale watching boat and new Gemini jet boat were on a tour on Sunday.
"They just swam over next to the boat and said hello to us," Mr Fowler said.
"I was on the Gemini boat and was standing and the big killer whale was longer than the boat which is 8.5m. His fin was taller than me. It was absolutely huge."
Laurence Orel from National Parks and Wildlife Service said orcas could be found in oceans and seas across the world.
"It's certainly unusual for people to sight them," he said.
"One of their functions, as is the nature of the jungle of the ocean, is they prey on newborn whale calves. They prefer to feed on the tongue and lips."
Mr Orel said while their hunting methods sounded gruesome, it was a positive indication of a healthy ecosystem.
"The hump back whales were almost wiped out in the '70s and their numbers have been slowly increasing ever since," he said.
"It's a good sign that we are starting to see a more natural balance to the system."
The whale watching season started in Port Macquarie about a fortnight ago and will continue until the end of October/ early November.
woensdag 4 juni 2008
Adorable baby orca spotted off San Juan Islands
A group of wild orcas has been spotted off the San Juan Islands with a cute yellowish-black newcomer in its midst: A small baby orca.
The calf is a member of the so-called "K-pod," a group of 20 orcas, also known as killer whales, that spend much of their lives in the open ocean.
The K-Pod, however, is just one part of the larger Southern Resident population, which is made up of three pods and roughly 90 orcas.
Each spring and summer they vacation in the waters off the Washington coast where they're monitored by the Washington-based Center for Whale Research.
Researchers first spotted the baby – estimated to be about two months old – on Tuesday as it was frolicking with other orcas in the K-pod.
Its mother, a 31-year-old known to researchers as K-14, has given birth four times before, but twice the babies have died, said center staffer Erin Heydenreich who was one of the first to spot the pod this week.
"It's fairly significant because we've lost several of them over the last few years," Heydenreich said. "It's very important for them to continue reproducing."
The calf is expected to lose its mottled yellowish skin as it grows older and it'll take about a year before researchers are able to identify its gender.
For now, it's just known as "K-42."
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