Soundscape characteristics in Southern Resident Killer Whale critical habitats

Abstract

The Southern Resident Killer whales (Orcinus orca) (SRKW) are an endangered group of orcas with current range of Pacific North East from California to Northern British Columbia and spend most of the summer months in and around the Salish Sea. This group of mammals feed primarily on fish, are very local, and live in tight-knit family units called pods. July 1 2017 census reported 77 animals; which now has been reduced to 76 by a more recent death. Anthropogenic underwater noise, primarily from commercial and recreational vessels is suspected to have detrimental effects on these whales. Here, we present results from a seven month, continuous sound recording (125 kHz acoustic bandwidth), whale centered study to monitor and interpret different soundscapes in SRKW critical habitats. The six different locations studied have significantly different acoustic transmission characteristics and cover open ocean areas, where natural sound spectral levels are high, to areas where anthropogenic noise-sources dominate. Possible implications of these different characteristics on the ability of the orcas to communicate and find prey are discussed. [Work funded by the Ocean Protection Plan (OPP) of the Government of Canada.]