[CINC] Killer Whale Information for whales sighted 12/12 and 12/16

[Shauna Bingham]

Happy New Year CINC!
We have been seeing some killer whales in the Channel recently and thanks to the boat operators and your photo-ID efforts we are able to provide valuable information about the killer whales sighted in our region. I would like to thank Joel Justin for getting CINC PID images to Alisa Schulman-Janiger so quickly. Please read below for Alisa's report on the sightings from mid-December.
Cheers,
Shauna 

The 6 killer whales that the Condor Express encountered on Dec 12 and Dec 16 
were the same transients: the CA51 matriline. These include a matriarch and 
her 4 offspring as well as her grandchild. 

The CA51s are probably the most frequently seen transients off the Moss 
Landing area of Monterey Bay, often preying on California sea lions and 
harbor seals. I have seen them several times; they are very curious and 
often closely approaching boats. My colleague Nancy Black has seen them 
attack gray whale calves off Monterey on multiple occasions. The CA51s 
were last confirmed off southern California in June 2010 (off Los Angeles, 
Long Beach, and Dana Point: looking into the boat! They were off Monterey 
in September.

IDs for the CA51s (5 whales over 3 generations): 
  1. CA51 - adult female, first documented off Monterey Bay in 1991. 
     CA51 has 4 offspring: CA51A, CA51B, CA51C, and CA51D 
  2. CA51A (female). CA51A has a juvenile, CA51A-1.
  3. CA51B (Nearly sprouted male): he has the tallest fin 
  4. CA51C (Probably a young male; fin is starting to change shape) 
  5. CA51D (Calf, born this year). 
  5. CA51A-1 (juvenile: born 2007). 

Keep an eye out for this group! We really need better ID pics of the young 
calf; your images from these encounters are the first that I've seen of this 
calf. 

Thanks so much!

Alisa

-- 
Shauna Bingham 
Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator
NOAA Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
3600 S. Harbor Blvd. #2-202
Oxnard, CA 93035
Shauna.Bingham at noaa.gov
(805) 382-6149 ext. 102
Fax (805) 382-9791
http://channelislands.noaa.gov

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