First longitudinal study of seal-feeding killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Norwegian coastal waters.
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) have been documented preying on either fish or marine mammals in several regions, suggesting that this odontocete species has the ability to specialize on different types of prey. Off Norway, killer whales have been shown to rely on the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus)...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2017-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5493372?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1830271853887750144 |
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| author | Eve Jourdain Dag Vongraven Anna Bisther Richard Karoliussen |
| author_facet | Eve Jourdain Dag Vongraven Anna Bisther Richard Karoliussen |
| author_sort | Eve Jourdain |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Killer whales (Orcinus orca) have been documented preying on either fish or marine mammals in several regions, suggesting that this odontocete species has the ability to specialize on different types of prey. Off Norway, killer whales have been shown to rely on the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) as a main prey resource. Infrequent observations have revealed seals as an additional component of their diet, yet the extent of predation on marine mammals has remained largely unknown. Here, we present the findings of 29 years of photographic and observational data on seal-feeding killer whale groups identified in Norwegian coastal waters. Four groups have been observed preying and feeding on seals over several years, taking both harbor (Phoca vitulina) and grey (Halichoerus grypus) seals. These stable groups are shown to adopt small group sizes, were typically observed in near-shore areas and were not encountered on herring wintering grounds. Behavioral and social traits adopted by these groups are similar to those of pinniped-feeding killer whales from other regions. The potential ecological reasons and the extent of such prey specializations are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T23:13:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e1cad6db35514ae5b68e8beec7147b31 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T23:13:43Z |
| publishDate | 2017-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-e1cad6db35514ae5b68e8beec7147b312022-12-21T20:48:16ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-01126e018009910.1371/journal.pone.0180099First longitudinal study of seal-feeding killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Norwegian coastal waters.Eve JourdainDag VongravenAnna BistherRichard KaroliussenKiller whales (Orcinus orca) have been documented preying on either fish or marine mammals in several regions, suggesting that this odontocete species has the ability to specialize on different types of prey. Off Norway, killer whales have been shown to rely on the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) as a main prey resource. Infrequent observations have revealed seals as an additional component of their diet, yet the extent of predation on marine mammals has remained largely unknown. Here, we present the findings of 29 years of photographic and observational data on seal-feeding killer whale groups identified in Norwegian coastal waters. Four groups have been observed preying and feeding on seals over several years, taking both harbor (Phoca vitulina) and grey (Halichoerus grypus) seals. These stable groups are shown to adopt small group sizes, were typically observed in near-shore areas and were not encountered on herring wintering grounds. Behavioral and social traits adopted by these groups are similar to those of pinniped-feeding killer whales from other regions. The potential ecological reasons and the extent of such prey specializations are discussed.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5493372?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Eve Jourdain Dag Vongraven Anna Bisther Richard Karoliussen First longitudinal study of seal-feeding killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Norwegian coastal waters. PLoS ONE |
| title | First longitudinal study of seal-feeding killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Norwegian coastal waters. |
| title_full | First longitudinal study of seal-feeding killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Norwegian coastal waters. |
| title_fullStr | First longitudinal study of seal-feeding killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Norwegian coastal waters. |
| title_full_unstemmed | First longitudinal study of seal-feeding killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Norwegian coastal waters. |
| title_short | First longitudinal study of seal-feeding killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Norwegian coastal waters. |
| title_sort | first longitudinal study of seal feeding killer whales orcinus orca in norwegian coastal waters |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5493372?pdf=render |
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