North Gulf Oceanic Society
'Residents', the Salmon Specialists
'Residents' should really be called 'loud-mouthed salmon-hungry swim-with-their-mother' killer whales. They might seem like residents when they show up to their favorite fishing hole at the same time every year, but some pods of so-called 'residents' travel 1800km! Like our AF5, AF22, and AG pods that spend most of their time in Southeast Alaska, but are seen frequently in Prince William Sound, Kenai Fjords, and Kodiak! Also the L pod in the San Juan Islands makes regular winter trips to the coast of California.
These salmon specialists LOVE salmon, and it makes up a huge proportion of their diet. In our study area in the Gulf of Alaska, our research shows that Chum, Chinook, and Coho salmon are all very important for these large and calorically expensive whales. We have found they they consume a small amount of Pacific Halibut, Arrowtooth Flounder, and a very small amount of Sockeye Salmon. Is it a surprise to anyone that they don't seem to like Pinks very much?
Residents do in fact swim with their mother their entire lives, so when you see a big bull male, he is not the leader of the pack... He is a giant Momma's Boy! He will mate outside the pod when many animals get together temporarily, then its back to live with Mom.
Residents are very chatty, their families/pods can be identified by their calls, check out our acoustics page!
'Residents', the Salmon Specialists
'Residents' should really be called 'loud-mouthed salmon-hungry swim-with-their-mother' killer whales. They might seem like residents when they show up to their favorite fishing hole at the same time every year, but some pods of so-called 'residents' travel 1800km! Like our AF5, AF22, and AG pods that spend most of their time in Southeast Alaska, but are seen frequently in Prince William Sound, Kenai Fjords, and Kodiak! Also the L pod in the San Juan Islands makes regular winter trips to the coast of California.
These salmon specialists LOVE salmon, and it makes up a huge proportion of their diet. In our study area in the Gulf of Alaska, our research shows that Chum, Chinook, and Coho salmon are all very important for these large and calorically expensive whales. We have found they they consume a small amount of Pacific Halibut, Arrowtooth Flounder, and a very small amount of Sockeye Salmon. Is it a surprise to anyone that they don't seem to like Pinks very much?
Residents do in fact swim with their mother their entire lives, so when you see a big bull male, he is not the leader of the pack... He is a giant Momma's Boy! He will mate outside the pod when many animals get together temporarily, then its back to live with Mom.
Residents are very chatty, their families/pods can be identified by their calls, check out our acoustics page!
'Residents', the Salmon Specialists
'Residents' should really be called 'loud-mouthed salmon-hungry swim-with-their-mother' killer whales. They might seem like residents when they show up to their favorite fishing hole at the same time every year, but some pods of so-called 'residents' travel 1800km! Like our AF5, AF22, and AG pods that spend most of their time in Southeast Alaska, but are seen frequently in Prince William Sound, Kenai Fjords, and Kodiak! Also the L pod in the San Juan Islands makes regular winter trips to the coast of California.
These salmon specialists LOVE salmon, and it makes up a huge proportion of their diet. In our study area in the Gulf of Alaska, our research shows that Chum, Chinook, and Coho salmon are all very important for these large and calorically expensive whales. We have found they they consume a small amount of Pacific Halibut, Arrowtooth Flounder, and a very small amount of Sockeye Salmon. Is it a surprise to anyone that they don't seem to like Pinks very much?
Residents do in fact swim with their mother their entire lives, so when you see a big bull male, he is not the leader of the pack... He is a giant Momma's Boy! He will mate outside the pod when many animals get together temporarily, then its back to live with Mom.
Residents are very chatty, their families/pods can be identified by their calls, check out our acoustics page!
"Transients,' or Bigg's killer whales, are the mammal specialists, and while they often have a huge range compared with residents, they have their favorite hunting spots also. They have home ranges, just a bit bigger. In fact, we have some very 'local' transients.
They love harbor seals and porpoise, which have a lot of blubber and don't put up much of a fight. Some 'transients' will take sea lions, fur seals, or even larger whales, but this is dangerous work and requires some specialized skills... it doesn't happen overnight!
Scientific Publications
contributed by NGOS
2021
Myers, H. J., Olsen, D. W., Matkin, C. O., Horstmann, L. A., & Konar, B. (2021). Passive acoustic monitoring of killer whales (Orcinus orca) reveals year-round distribution and residency patterns in the Gulf of Alaska. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-14. [PDF file]
Suryan, R. M., Arimitsu, M. L., Coletti, H. A., Hopcroft, R. R., Lindeberg, M. R., Barbeaux, S. J., ... & Zador, S. G. (2021). Ecosystem response persists after a prolonged marine heatwave. Scientific reports, 11(1), 1-17. [PDF file]
2020
Olsen, D. W., Matkin, C. O., Mueter, F. J., & Atkinson, S. (2020). Social behavior increases in multipod aggregations of southern Alaska resident killer whales (Orcinus orca). Marine Mammal Science, 36(4), 1150-1159. [PDF file]
Lawson, T.M., Ylitalo, G.M., O'Neill, S.M., Dahlheim, M.E., Wade, P.R., Matkin, C.O., Burkanov, V. and Boyd, D.T., 2020. Concentrations and profiles of organochlorine contaminants in North Pacific resident and transient killer whale (Orcinus orca) populations. Science of The Total Environment, 722, p.137776.
Danishevskaya, A.Y., Filatova, O.A., Samarra, F.I.P., Miller, P.J.O., Ford, J.K., Yurk, H., Matkin, C.O. and Hoyt, E., 2020. Crowd intelligence can discern between repertoires of killer whale ecotypes. Bioacoustics, 29(1), pp.15-27.
2018
Olsen, D. W., Matkin, C. O., Andrews, R. D., & Atkinson, S. (2018). Seasonal and pod-specific differences in core use areas by resident killer whales in the Northern Gulf of Alaska. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 147, 196-202. [PDF file]
Esler, D., Ballachey, B.E., Matkin, C., Cushing, D., Kaler, R., Bodkin, J., Monson, D., Esslinger, G. and Kloecker, K., 2018. Timelines and mechanisms of wildlife population recovery following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 147, pp.36-42.
2016
Filatova, O.A., Samarra, F.I., Barrett-Lennard, L.G., Miller, P.J., Ford, J.K., Yurk, H., Matkin, C.O. and Hoyt, E., 2016. Physical constraints of cultural evolution of dialects in killer whales. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 140(5), pp.3755-3764. PDF file
2015
Saulitis, E., Holmes, L.A., Matkin, C., Wynne, K., Ellifrit, D. and St-Amand, C., 2015. Biggs killer whale (Orcinus orca) predation on subadult humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Lower Cook Inlet and Kodiak, Alaska. Aquatic Mammals, 41(3), p.341. [PDF file]
Morin, P. A., Parsons, K. M., Archer, F. I., Ávila‐Arcos, M. C., Barrett‐Lennard, L. G., Dalla Rosa, L., ... & Ford, J. K. (2015). Geographic and temporal dynamics of a global radiation and diversification in the killer whale. Molecular Ecology, 24(15), 3964-3979.
Filatova, O.A., Miller, P.J., Yurk, H., Samarra, F.I., Hoyt, E., Ford, J.K., Matkin, C.O. and Barrett-Lennard, L.G., 2015. Killer whale call frequency is similar across the oceans, but varies across sympatric ecotypes. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 138(1), pp.251-257.
2014
Matkin, C. O., Ward Testa, J., Ellis, G. M., & Saulitis, E. L. (2014). Life history and population dynamics of southern Alaska resident killer whales (Orcinus orca). Marine Mammal Science, 30(2), 460-479. [PDF file]
Fearnbach, H., Durban, J. W., Ellifrit, D. K., Waite, J. M., Matkin, C. O., Lunsford, C. R., ... & Wade, P. R. (2014). Spatial and social connectivity of fish-eating “Resident” killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the northern North Pacific. Marine biology, 161(2), 459-472. [PDF file]
Ford, John & Stredulinsky, Eva & Ellis, Graeme & Durban, John & Pilkington, James. (2014). Offshore Killer Whales in Canadian Pacific Waters: Distribution, Seasonality, Foraging Ecology, Population Status and Potential for Recovery. [PDF file]
2013
Parsons, K.M., Durban, J.W., Burdin, A.M., Burkanov, V.N., Pitman, R.L., Barlow, J., Barrett-Lennard, L.G., LeDuc, R.G., Robertson, K.M., Matkin, C.O. and Wade, P.R., 2013. Geographic patterns of genetic differentiation among killer whales in the northern North Pacific. Journal of Heredity, 104(6), pp.737-754. [PDF file]
Matkin, C. and Durban, J.W., 2013. Gray whale killers. Journal of the American Cetacean Society, 42, pp.17-20.
Peterson, M.J., Mueter, F., Hanselman, D., Lunsford, C., Matkin, C. and Fearnbach, H., 2013. Killer whale (Orcinus orca) depredation effects on catch rates of six groundfish species: implications for commercial longline fisheries in Alaska. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70(6), pp.1220-1232.
2012
Matkin, C.O., Durban, J.W., Saulitis, E.L., Andrews, R.D., Straley, J.M., Matkin, D.R., Ellis, G.E. 2012. Contrasting abundance and residency patterns of two sympatric populations of transient killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the northern Gulf of Alaska. Fishery Bulletin, 110(2):143-155. [PDF file]
Filatova, O. A., Deecke, V. B., Ford, J. K., Matkin, C. O., Barrett-Lennard, L. G., Guzeev, M. A., ... & Hoyt, E. (2012). Call diversity in the North Pacific killer whale populations: implications for dialect evolution and population history. Animal behaviour, 83(3), 595-603.
Filatova, O.A., Ford, J.K., Matkin, C.O., Barrett-Lennard, L.G., Burdin, A.M. and Hoyt, E., 2012. Ultrasonic whistles of killer whales (Orcinus orca) recorded in the North Pacific (L). The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 132(6), pp.3618-3621.
2011
Matkin, Craig, and John Durban. "Killer whales in Alaskan waters." J Am Cet Soc 40 (2011): 24-29. [PDF file]
Barrett-Lennard, L.G., Matkin, C.O., Durban, J.W., Saulitis, E.L., Ellifrit, D. 2011. Predation on gray whales and prolonged feeding on submerged carcasses by transient killer whales at Unimak Island, Alaska. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 421:229-241. [PDF file]
Ford, J.K.B., Ellis, G.M., Matkin, C.O., Wetklo, M.H., Barrett-Lennard, L.G., Withler, R.E. 2011. Shark predation and tooth wear in a population of northeastern Pacific killer whales. Aquatic Biology, 11:213-224. [PDF file]
2010
Yurk, H., Filatova, O., Matkin, C.O., Barrett-Lennard, L.G., Brittain, M. 2010. Sequential habitat use by two resident killer whale (Orcinus orca) clans in Resurrection Bay, Alaska, as determined by remote acoustic monitoring. Aquatic Mammals, 36(1):67-78. [PDF file]
Durban, J., Ellifrit, D., Dahlheim, M., Waite, J., Matkin, C., Barrett-Lennard, L., Ellis, G., Pitman, R., Leduc, R., Wade, P. 2010. Photographic mark-recapture analysis of clustered mammal-eating killer whales around the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska. Marine Biology, 157(7):1591-1604. [PDF file]
2008
Matkin, C.O., Saulitis, E.L., Ellis, G.M., Olesiuk, P., Rice, S.D. 2008. Ongoing population-level impacts on killer whales Orcinus orca following the 'Exxon Valdez' oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 356:269-281. [PDF file]
Herman, D.P., Matkin, C.O., Ylitalo, G., Durban, J.W., Hanson, M.B., Dahlheim, M.E., Straley, J.M., Wade, P.L., Tilbury, K.L., Boyer, R.H., Pearce, R.W., Krahn, M.M.. 2008. Assessing the age-distributions of killer whale (Orcinus orca) populations from the composition of endogenous fatty acids in their outer-blubber layers. Marine Ecological Progress Series, 372:289-302.
Newman, K., Springer, A. and Matkin, C., 2008. Killer whales at the Pribilof Islands: Who are they and what are they doing. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 124(4), pp.2507-2507.
2007
Maniscalco, J.M., Matkin, C.O., Maldini, D., Calkins, D.G., Atkinson, S. 2007. Assessing killer whale predation on Steller sea lions from field observations in Kenai Fjords, Alaska. Marine Mammal Science, 23 (2):306-321.
Matkin, C.O., Barrett-Lennard, L.G., Yurk, H., Ellifrit, D., Trites, A.W. 2007. Ecotypic variation and predatory behavior among killer whales (Orcinus orca) off the eastern Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Fishery Bulletin, 105(1):74-87. [PDF file]
Krahn, M. M., Herman, D. P., Matkin, C. O., Durban, J. W., Barrett-Lennard, L., Burrows, D. G., & Wade, P. R. (2007). Use of chemical tracers in assessing the diet and foraging regions of eastern North Pacific killer whales. Marine environmental research, 63(2), 91-114.
Mehta, A.V., Allen, J.M., Constantine, R., Garrigue, C., Jann, B., Jenner, C., Marx, M.K., Matkin, C.O., Mattila, D.K., Minton, G. and Mizroch, S.A., 2007. Baleen whales are not important as prey for killer whales Orcinus orca in high-latitude regions. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 348, pp.297-307.
2005
Saulitis, E.L., Matkin, C.O., Fay, F.H. 2005. Vocal repertoire and acoustic behavior of the isolated AT1 killer whale subpopulation in southern Alaska. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 83(8):1015-1029. [PDF file]
Herman, D.P., Burrows, D.G., Wade, P.R., Durban, J.W., Matkin, C.O., LeDuc, R.G., Barrett-Lennard, L.G., Krahn, M.M. 2005. Feeding ecology of eastern North Pacific killer whales Orcinus orca from fatty acid, stable isotope, and organochlorine analyses of blubber biopsies. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 302:275-291.
2003
Heise, K., Barrett-Lennard, L. G., Saulitis, E., Matkin, C., & Bain, D. (2003). Examining the evidence for killer whale predation on Steller sea lions in British Columbia and Alaska. Aquatic Mammals, 29(3), 325-334.
2002
Yurk, H., Barrett-Lennard, L.G., Ford, J.K.B., Matkin, C.O. 2002. Cultural transmission within maternal lineages: vocal clans in resident killer whales in southern Alaska. Animal Behaviour, 63:1103 - 1119. [PDF file]
2001
Barrett-Lennard, L.G., Deecke, V.B., Yurk, H., Ford, J.K.B. 2001. A sound approach to the study of culture. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24:325-326.
Scheel, D., Matkin, C.O., Saulitis, E.L. 2001. Distribution of killer whale pods in Prince William Sound, Alaska 1984-1996. Marine Mammal Science, 17(3):555-569.
Ylitalo, G.M., Matkin, C.O., Buzitis, J., Krahn, M.M., Jones, L.L., Rowles, T., Stein, J. 2001. Influence of life-history parameters on organochlorine concentrations in free-ranging killer whales (Orcinus orca) from Prince William Sound, AK. The Science of the Total Environment, 281(1-3): 183-203.
2000
Saulitis, E.L., Matkin, C.O., Barrett-Lennard, L.G., Heise, K.A., Ellis, G.M. 2000. Foraging strategies of sympatric killer whale (Orcinus orca) populations in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Marine Mammal Science, 16(1):94-109. [PDF file]
1999
Matkin, C.O., Ellis, G.M., Olesiuk, P., Saulitis, E.L. 1999. Association patterns and inferred genealogies of resident killer whales, Orcinus orca, in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Fishery Bulletin, 97(4):900-919. [PDF file]
Matkin, C.O., Ellis, G.M., Saulitis, E.L., Barrett-Lennard, L.G., Matkin, D.R. 1999. Killer whales of southern Alaska. North Gulf Oceanic Society, Homer, Alaska. 96 pp.
1997
Matkin, C.O., Matkin, D.R., Ellis, G.M., Saulitis, E.L., McSweeney, D. 1997. Movements of resident killer whales in southeastern Alaska and Prince William Sound, Alaska. Marine Mammal Science, 13(3):469-475. [PDF file]
1994
Matkin, C.O. 1994. An observer's guide to the killer whales of Prince William Sound. Prince William Sound Books, Valdez, Alaska.
Dahlheim, M.E. and Matkin, C.O., 1994. Assessment of injuries to Prince William Sound killer whales. In Marine mammals and the Exxon Valdez (pp. 163-171). Academic Press.
1993
Saulitis, E.L. 1993. The vocalizations and behavior of the "AT" group of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Prince William Sound, Alaska. M.S. Thesis. University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska. 209 pp.
1990
Leatherwood, S., Matkin, C.O., Hall, J.D., Ellis, G.M. 1990. Killer whales, Orcinus orca, photo-identified in Prince William Sound, Alaska, 1976 through 1987. Canadian Field-Naturalist, 104(3):362-371.
1989
Matkin, C.O., Ellis, G.M., Saulitis, E.L. 1989. Killer whales in Prince William Sound in 1989 after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Report to NMML, NMFS, Seattle, Washington, contract #50ABNF900118. 23 pp.
1980
Matkin, C.O. 1980. Marine mammal and fishery interactions on the Copper River and in Prince William Sound, Alaska. M.S. Thesis. University of Alaska, Faibanks. 120 pp.