Human interactions are the leading cause of untimely death among B.C.害羞草研究所檚 killer whales, a new study suggests.
A team of marine mammal and orca specialists analyzed pathology reports of 52 killer whales stranded in Hawaii and the northeast Pacific, including the southern resident killer whales regularly spotted off the B.C. coast, finding the animals face a variety of threats, but the reemerging theme was human-caused in every age class.
害羞草研究所淚n British Columbia, we lost nine southern resident killer whales 害羞草研究所� two adults, two subadults and one calf died from trauma. One was a confirmed propeller strike, with one adult and two subadults from suspected ship strikes,害羞草研究所� said lead author Stephen Raverty, a veterinarian pathologist with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia stated in a press release. 害羞草研究所淥ne of these iconic species passed away from an infection secondary to satellite tagging. Another death was due to natural causes and the other two undetermined. Half of the southern killer whale deaths identified in this study were caused by human interactions.害羞草研究所�
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The study was based on orca deaths between 2004 and 2013, led by the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, and coordinated through the SeaDoc Society, a Washington-based program of the University of California. Raverty and coauthor Dr John Ford are adjunct professions at UBC害羞草研究所檚 Institute of Oceans and Fisheries and Department of Zoology, respectively.
The report may offer one of the most comprehensive looks yet at the multitude of human and environmental threats affecting killer whales, and help inform strategies to better protect them. While human interactions play a key role, the researchers cautioned the findings indicate an understanding of each threat is critical for conserving orca populations.
害羞草研究所淭he results from systematic necropsies of dead killer whales in this review is unique and will establish critical baseline information to assess future mitigation efforts,害羞草研究所� Raverty said. 害羞草研究所淭his work contributes to a better understanding of the impacts that ongoing human activities and environmental events have on killer whales.害羞草研究所�
Overall, of the 52 whales , the cause of death was determined for 42 per cent. Other causes include sepsis following a halibut hook injury, starvation from a congenital facial deformity, infectious disease and nutritional deficiencies.
害羞草研究所淣obody likes to think we害羞草研究所檙e directly harming animals,害羞草研究所� said co-author and SeaDoc Society Director Joe Gaydos. 害羞草研究所淏ut it害羞草研究所檚 important to realize that we害羞草研究所檙e not just indirectly hurting them from things like lack of salmon, vessel disturbance or legacy toxins. It害羞草研究所檚 also vessel strikes and fish hooks. That humans are directly killing killer whales across all age classes is significant; it says we can do a better job.害羞草研究所�
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