A New Species of Orca is Changing Marine Biology

#orca #orcas #kpassionate
A marine biologist reacts to a new species of orca and the 49 unstoppable killer whales who are reshaping marine biology.

00:00 - KPassionate
01:07 - How Many Types of Orca Are There?
02:28 - Orca in the Pacific Northwest
03:12 - Sperm Whale vs Killer Whale
05:12 - New Orca Species
06:43 - Are Orcas Endangered?
07:37 - How to Save Killer Whales
08:19 - Snake River Dams

Orcas are found in every ocean of the world. Currently classified as the same species, Orcinus orca, they are all distinct variations known as ecotypes. In the Pacific Northwest we have the resident, offshore, and Bigg's killer whales. Now, researchers have confirmed that resident and Bigg's killer whales are entirely different species. Genetic analysis found these orcas likely diverged between 200,000 and 300,000 years ago.

“Knowing resident and Bigg's killer whales are unique species is incredibly important from a conservation standpoint. It’s challenging to create effective conservation policies for a globally distributed species like orca because animals in different regions of the world are all facing different threats.”
Scripps Institution of Oceanography

For the Southern Resident orca, the greatest threat is a lack of food. Research shows that the survival and reproductive success of these orcas is correlated with Chinook salmon abundance. Increasing salmon abundance is an integral component of the species recovery plan.

Support breaching the Snake River Dams:
National Geographic on the Snake River Dams
Read the Washington State LSRD Benefit Replacement Report
See the argument against breaching these dams

Sources

Aerial Footage: Resident Killer Whale J50
NOAA Fisheries, filmed under NMFS research permit # 19786

Type D Killer Whale Research Team 2019,
Taken under Chilean Sub-Secretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Research Permit, Res. Ex. 1811 (31 May 2017) and Res. Ex. 4402 (18 December 2018)
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[Hal_T]

I stumbled into this video because of the Portuguese Orcas. I stayed for the fascinating discussion of diverse Orca populations. Great job.

[francinesmith]

This is the most random video suggestion in my feed, compared to everything else that I typically watch on YouTube. But I’m not mad about it at all; very glad the algorithm showed me this video. I needed an update on the shark liver eating orcas!

[ThePsychicClarinetist]

When you said "Why does this matter?" I immediately said "Conservation!". I had no idea there were so many orcas in the world, and it's so cool to learn about subspecies and ecotypes! I love wolves and I'm very sad that some subspecies and ecotypes have either gone extinct or still suffer from lack of conservation efforts, I don't want to see the same happen to any other animals. On one hand, it's sad that we even need conservation efforts, but on the other hand, some people really don't realize how important other animals are and how much of an impact human actions have had. I'm gonna sign that petition to destroy the dams ASAP! 🧡

[timothychung]

Imagine Orcas are ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse? Wait a minute, that is us....

[Beardqt]

this was absolutely the weirdest place to be shamed for my laundry habits lmao

[athuddriver]

Both whales and Orcas are more than fascinating. The sheer intelligence and social structures should humble those that can't recognize them as sentient beings. I've been aware of behavioral differences but genetic separation in some cases is new to me. Well done!!!

[gemstonejasper]

Me at work after watching this: "A new orca just dropped!"

My coworkers without looking up: Cool

Orcas are one of my favorite animals and I love them so much

[dangurtler]

If you breach the dams, you need to replace the electric power generated by those dams using some other methods. Also, there will be an adverse impact on water availability for use in agriculture. Those are the two main reasons the dams haven't been breached.

[endangeredmarmot]

I am here for the orca content - they are such fascinating animals. Great video!

[MermaidMusings]

The orcas found in the Pacific Northwest are incredibly unique. Despite sharing the same waters, the Southern Resident and Bigg's orcas have not shared a common ancestor for thousands of years. Interestingly, whenever they have been observed in close proximity, the Southern Residents have always chased the Bigg's orcas out of their territory. There was even an incident where researchers witnessed the Residents chasing the Bigg's, resulting in blood in the water. During this encounter, the Residents had a new calf, and while the rest of the pod chased the Bigg's away, the baby stayed behind with its mother and grandmother. Perhaps the fish-eating Residents feel threatened by the mammal-eating Bigg's orcas, but the exact reason remains unknown. It's worth noting that Southern Residents do not even socialize with Northern Residents despite being very similar in many ways.

Southern Resident orcas, both males and females, remain with their mothers and grandmothers throughout their lifetime. They are the most extensively studied and iconic orca population, and it is crucial to protect them.

[Varianton]

I love Orcas as much as anyone else but a quick search shows the importance of and devastation to human life removing the Snake River dams would cause. Apparently they do have some type of fish passage as well. I don’t think it’s fair to tell only one side of the issue.

Lower Snake River Dams: A Value to the Nation
The Snake River is the principal tributary to the Columbia River, draining approximately 107, 000 square miles in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada. In the 1960s and early 1970s, the federal government built four large dams on the Snake River: Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Walla Walla District owns and operates the four lower Snake River dams, all of which are multiple-use facilities that provide navigation, hydropower, recreation, and fish and wildlife conservation benefits.

Because of their locations, size and ability to help meet peak power loads, these four dams do much more than generate energy--they are key to keeping the system reliable and helping to meet its multiple uses — including supporting wind energy. The Snake River dams lie east of the other federal generators, so they provide a significant technical contribution to transmission grid reliability.

The Lower Snake River system of locks and dams deliver a significant economic benefit to the nation. Barging on the inland Columbia Snake River System moves, on average, approximately 10 million tons of cargo valued at over $3 billion each year. Forty percent of the Nation’s wheat transits through this system.

Fish Passage Improvement Study
Lower Snake River Fish Passage Improvement Study: Dam Breaching Update

[marigoldjanies]

Orca have been my favorite animal since I can remember. Thanks for the video, super informative, a little rushed, but no big deal. I'm sure as more information comes out the videos will get more detailed. Thanks again!!!!

[ishecrishe]

We’re just discovering something that could’ve been here for 100s of thousands of years. This is why I’m open minded, because you never know what’s out there.

[Mcat]

Fascinating. I had no idea there were so many subspecies and types of orca, or that their differences are so distinct. I will watch this again to make sure i have not missed anything. Thank you

[tshaffer]

This is extremely interesting. I didn't know that different types of Killer Whales existed, I thought they were all the same.

[jondubb]

This is so fascinating.

KP, this discovery has to be one of the reasons, professionally speaking, you wake up every single day, driven to excel in what is your life’s work. Absolutely incredible content here.

[ncwordman]

You are such a good teacher. I rejoice when I see a new video from you, because I know I'm going to learn a bunch of new stuff.

[octosquatch.]

I would say the thousands of Chinese fishing boats scouring the pacific could have an effect on salmon numbers as well.
The dams still need to go.

[socket_error]

Another issue hurting wild salmon populations in the Puget Sound region is the damage to creak and river spawning grounds and lack of effort to restore them. These small streams all used to have independent salmon runs but now, thanks to development, erosion, and a plain lack of effort and education, these salmon runs are almost extinct. We need to actively start to restore these creaks and the runs can be rehabilitated easily using small hatchery boxes that will each see hundreds of salmon return to spawn in four years, the rest becoming part of the ecosystem. I volunteered with a project like this in the early 80s and the results were impressive. The issue is getting the volunteer manpower and cutting through the bureaucratic issues that hamper both the hatchery box placement and creak rehabilitation. This was a nightmarish issue even in the 1980s.

[ladylove]

First video I've ever watched on this channel because it popped in my feed as a suggestion and I learned so much about orcas in this one short video it's amazing how much information you managed to get into it. Thanks so much