Bigg's Killer Whale

Bigg's killer whales, formerly known as transient killer whales, are a distinct ecotype of *Orcinus orca* that exclusively hunt marine mammals. In contrast, Resident killer whales in the Pacific Northwest primarily eat fish, specifically Chinook salmon.

This distinct ecotype is named after Canadian cetologist Michael Bigg, who pioneered the use of photo-identification for studying these marine mammals in the 1970s. His research proved that individual killer whales could be tracked over time by their unique dorsal fin markings.

Bigg's killer whales are found in the eastern North Pacific Ocean, frequently ranging from the waters of Southeast Alaska down to California. They are highly mobile and often travel through the inland waterways of British Columbia and Washington state to hunt.

Because they hunt marine mammals with excellent underwater hearing, Bigg's killer whales communicate very little to avoid detection by their prey. They often hunt silently in coordinated groups to ambush seals, porpoises, and even larger baleen whales.