By Dr. Joe Gaydos, SeaDoc Society
Southern resident killer whales are often joked about as being Politically Correct, or PC, because they eat salmon, not other marine mammals. Recent events make you wonder if they’re really so PC!
On September 9, 2009, researchers who were tracking southern resident killer whales in Haro Strait noticed whales from J- and K-pods interacting with a harbor porpoise. Three specific whales (J31, J36 and J39) spent the most of the time harassing the porpoise and J-31 was seen using its head to throw the harbor porpoise in air on two occasions. The porpoise died but the whales continued interacting with the carcass. When the whales finally left the area, the carcass was collected with authorization of the San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network and delivered it to Friday Harbor Laboratories.
SeaDoc and the Stranding Network necropsied the porpoise and found numerous “rake” marks (from killer whale teeth) on the porpoise. Most of them were superficial and did not even penetrate through the blubber. There was evidence of hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising) in the lungs, likely from being hit into the air several times by J-31.
This is the 4th porpoise necropsied by SeaDoc and the San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network that has been killed by resident fish-eating killer whales. All of them were left floating once the porpoise died. Cat and mouse? Who knows, but definitely not PC!
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