Terror in Black and White

Natural History, Dec, 1998 by Robert L. Pitman, Susan J. Chivers

Just as many questions remain about killer whales. What is the role of the adult male in their hunting strategy? Does he wait, like the male lion, until the females have performed the risky business of killing larger prey, then step in and use his large size to claim the spoils? Or does he represent the power hitter who steps up to bat when the bases are loaded?

Interestingly, scientists currently recognize two distinct types of killer whale: A rather docile type, typically found near shore, preys mainly on fish and tends to be relatively easy to follow and study. Another, wilder type is usually found farther offshore, and relatively little is known about it, except that it preys primarily on marine mammals. The forces of political correctness and media marketing seem bent on projecting an image of a more benign form (the Free Willy or Shamu model), and some people urge exclusive use of the name "orca" for the species, instead of what is perceived as the more sinister label of "killer whale." But consider, for example, that by current estimate more than 80,000 killer whales live in the waters off Antarctica during the summer. There they are well known for their habit of eating just the fleshy lips and tongues of minke whales, then leaving their victims to die. The image of the gentle giant may be ingrained in many people's minds, but the name "killer whale" is an appropriate reminder that this species consumes huge numbers of marine mammals annually and that its predatory habits are a significant force in shaping marine communities.

Both authors are employed by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service and work at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, California. Robert L. Pitman, a marine ecologist, has participated in more than fifty marine bird and mammal survey cruises in oceans throughout the world. Susan J. Chivers, a marine biologist, specializes in cetaceans. She was chief scientist on the cruise that witnessed the killer whale attack.