Orcas that hunt sperm whales may be new population, study suggests
Global News
Researchers from the University of British Columbia said they've identified a potentially new population of open-ocean orcas, which hunt the biggest predators on the planet.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia said they’ve identified a potentially new population of open-ocean orcas, which hunt the biggest predators on the planet.
In a study published Friday, researchers said a group of 49 orcas has been observed hunting sperm whales off the coast of California and Oregon.
Lead author Josh McInnes said the orcas were seen hunting a herd of nine adult sperm whales, “eventually making off with one.”
It’s the first time killer whales have been reported attacking sperm whales on the West Coast, he said.
“Other encounters include an attack on a Pygmy sperm whale, predation on a northern elephant seal and Risso’s dolphin, and what appeared to be a post-meal lull after scavenging a leatherback turtle,” said McInnes, who is a masters student in the UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries.
Researchers said the orcas that were observed in nine encounters from 1997 to 2021 could either belong to a subpopulation of transient killer whales or a unique oceanic population.
The study said the encounter that was witnessed with the sperm whales occurred in 1997 about 130 kilometres off the California coast. Many of the sperm whales in the pod were left with “extensive injuries,” while one was killed, the study said.
“Approximately 12 killer whales were initially involved in the hunt, but this number increased to an estimated 35 killer whales spread out over 3 km. Small concentrated groups of four to five killer whales randomly targeted and attacked individual sperm whales in the rosette,” the study said, describing how the whales gathered in a circle with their heads together and their tails pointing outward.
A chemical engineer out of the University of Calgary is piloting what she says is a more efficient, cleaner lithium extraction process.
The World Health Organization has authorized the first mpox vaccine for children, a decision experts hope will help make immunizations more widely available.
California's public health department reported a possible case of bird flu in a child with mild respiratory symptoms, but said there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
The AER says the company must report any hazards that present a risk to public safety or the environment.
Trump nominated Oz as administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Howard Lutnick as his next U.S. commerce secretary, who would oversee tariff policy.
Bird flu has spread far and wide, infecting a range of species like chickens, skunks, cows, foxes and polar bears. But it's the pigs that have experts on high alert.
The CFIA has recalled E. coli-tainted carrots, following a U.S. health warning about the contaminated produce linked to one death and dozens of illnesses.
Health Canada said there was an issue with the braking system of the Stokke YOYO baby stroller, sold between August and October this year.
These editorial stories and interviews will focus on the people, companies, research, and innovations leading the environmental and sustainable movement in B.C.
Bennett had just returned from the school run last week when she found the mom and a baby raccoon unconscious, with one of the babies sleeping on the furniture.
B.C. health authorities have announced the first case of a human avian flu infection acquired in Canada, with the teenage patient in critical condition in hospital.