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T Is for Transient

Posted July 13, 2011 in Learn More by Michael Mountain

(Fifth in the series Superpod One – Where It All Began)
Day Two: One of the teams that went out this morning had the good luck to come across a pod of transient orcas.

As well as the “resident” pods – the J, K and L pods – who spend most of their time around the islands here, there are some “transient” pods, whose lifestyle is quite different from residents. They speak a different language from the resident families, eat different food, travel further afield, and have different family behaviors.

Transient killer whale pods generally consist of an adult female and two or three of her kids. And while resident orcas of both genders stay within shouting distance of their mothers their entire lives, only first-born male transients maintain such intense fidelity to their mothers. Optimum pod size for transients is three, so whenever a third calf is born, one of the siblings often leaves. The rule seems to be that the eldest son can stay, but all but one of the others, who are generally 5 to 12 years old, may have to go.

Residents and transients have figured out the best way to coexist, so they don’t fight when they meet each other. For example, while the residents only eat fish, the transients eat other marine mammals.

The team that was out in the morning happened upon a transient group that had just captured a porpoise. One of them was carrying the porpoise around on his nose and tossing him around — a bit like how your cat at home will play with a mouse. Why they play with their food is not entirely known, but these top predators of the ocean clearly love to play. They’re exuberant and fun-loving, and they love to hunt.

And if, understandably, you feel a bit sorry for the porpoise, bear in mind that the orcas will naturally go for the smaller and weaker animals, so the overall effect is to keep the porpoise population strong and healthy. It’s the role of the top predator in any natural system. The same goes for the resident orcas and the fish they catch. Residents prefer salmon, and on their long journey back from the ocean to the mountain streams where they were born and where they return to give birth to a new generation, the salmon have to endure a series of challenges – from the orcas in the ocean to the bears along the rivers to the rapids they have to leap over. Only the strongest and smartest will make it back, and their offspring will be strong and healthy, too. (That’s one reason why the modern factory fish farms, where the fish have no real life, are such an ecological disaster.)

Later in the afternoon, Mike Parfit and Suzanne Chisolm arrive at Snug Harbor in their boat from a nearby island where they live. It’s largely unpopulated by people there, so Mike and Suzanne’s boat is the equivalent of your car at home: They go shopping and do everything else by boat.

Tonight, Mike and Suzanne will be presenting a preview of their new movie The Whale, which will be premiered in New York and other cities on September 16. But we have a couple of hours to spare, and they invite me and Lori Marino for a quick spin to see if we can catch up with the transients.

We go out for about an hour, and Mike radios some of the other boats that are out to see who’s seeing what, but the orcas have moved on and are too far out of range. That’s the way it goes. You’re out in their territory, and there’s no guarantee they’re going to perform for you.

Back at Snug Harbor, Ken Balcomb gives us a lift to Candace’s home, where a couple of dozen people will be gathering to watch The Whale and for a talk by John Durbin about the orcas in the Antarctic.

(Second in the series Superpod One – Where It All Began)

Table of Contents

Superpod One – Where it All Began
In the summer of 2011, a group of scientists, journalists and former orca trainers met up on San Juan Island. Their week together would eventually lead to the formation of the Whale Sanctuary Project.

Off to the Island
On the ferry to San Juan Island everyone crowds onto the top deck for glimpses of dolphins, harbor seals, eagles and other animals.

First Sighting
At the Center for Whale Research, we see dorsal fins popping out of the water … just a second or two as the orcas come up for air.

Grandma J2’s Birthday Party
Grandma J2 has celebrated her 100th birthday. San Juan Island held a party in her honor. But how do they know she’d just turned 100?

T Is for Transient
As well as the “resident” pods, who spend most of their time around the islands, there are “transient” pods whose lifestyle is quite different.

Luna: the Orca Who Wanted to Be Friends
Orcas need each other’s company. So, when Luna got separated from his family, he started making friends with humans on their boats in Nootka Sound.

Out on the Ocean, Surrounded by Orcas
We’re headed out toward the open sound, and our captain is confident we’re going to see some orcas.

Orcas at the Other End of the World
The orcas line up and create a wave that will lift one side of the ice floe and tip the seal into the water.

Orca Dinner Party
The whales need 200 pounds of food every day, and Chinook salmon is the only food that the resident orcas will eat.

Super-Intelligence
Whichever way you look at orca brains, you have to conclude that these guys are super-intelligent.

Custody Battle Over a Captive Orca
An unseemly custody battle is going on between SeaWorld and Marineland over orca Ikaika, whom SeaWorld has “loaned” them.

We’ll Meet Again . . .
The group needs a name. I suggest “Superpod” in honor of what we’ve seen and shared this week. It’s agreed … and it’s just a beginning

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