Our field season got off to a rough start.  Dan Olsen filled in, starting our early fieldwork in April and early May, using our research vessel the R.V. Natoa in Kenai Fjords and Resurrection Bay.  He documented the arrival of  the AD and AK pods,  an annual spring event here… possibly one of the most predictable of wildlife events.  These pods (and sometimes others) come every year for a month or more to eat the succulent Chinook or king salmon that pass through the region in May and early June.  The tourboat skippers out of Seward, Alaska look forward to sighting the whales in calm waters on a daily basis.  These whales are quite used to the attention of the tour boats each spring.  The boats are well trained to observe them, but not disturb them(see below).  The whales get more and more relaxed as they feed daily on the Chinook, probably their first source of abundant salmon for the year.

We had not seen the AD5 subpod since fall of 2008, so it was great to see this pod again and find that there were two new calves, apparently one born in 2009 to an experienced mom, Tutka, AD25, and one born this year to first time mom China Poot, AD25, who is 15 years old (the average age for having a first surviving calf). This was Great News.   There was also sad news...  One of the two old matriarchs in AK pod, AK6, is missing and apparently dead.  She was born about 1953, and was at least 57 years old, about the age that most female killer whales die in Alaska.  Her eldest offspring, an older male, Hive, AK1, and youngest offspring Lou, only nine years old, were seen in the vicinity of Cheval, her adult daughter who has three offspring of her own.  Hive and Lou were wandering, seeming a bit adrift without there mother.  On another occasion Hive and Lou were not with Cheval and her offspring.  We are concerned about them and hope they survive the death of their mother. We will see what happens to this part of AK pod now that AK6 is gone.  This again points up the importance of the matriarch in holding a pod together… and why AB pod split up after the oil spill, when several important female matriarchs died.

Again we worked with the tourboats in Kenai Fjords to assure all new operators were clear on the ‘rules of the road” for observing whales.  In general the whalewatching fleet in this region is respectful of the whales.  Most have years of  experience in following the guidelines.  We recommend you come to view whales here in Kenai Fjords!

We also continued our work in adjacent Prince William Sound, going into Hinchinbrook Entrance, a hot spot for resident killer whales this time of year, as the summer return of chum and silver salmon, important foods, begin to move into Prince William Sound.  We weren’t disappointed.  There were over 100 killer whales in the area when we arrived and we worked on them for three days.  Four pods were present:  AJ pod which totals over 50 whales, AI pod, part of AX48 pod, and all 30 whales of AB pod, including the AB25 subpod that has traveled with AJ pod since the oil spill.   The whales were spread out over an area that spanned several miles, making it difficult to photograph them all.  It is important we complete our annual inventory... documenting new calves, determining who was missing and dead...  More on that after the data is analyzed!

We were fortunate to watch a “greeting ceremony” after part of the huge AJ pod returned after leaving the area for a day.  Several long lines of about 25 whales formed first, which soon became two lines of  about 50 whales in each line.  The lines of whales, all surfacing synchronously,  faced and swam toward each other before diving and disappearing... what happened underwater as the groups mingled we can only guess.  Soon the whales dispersed and went about their business of finding and feeding on salmon.

We tagged two of these resident (fish eating) whales, one from AJ pod and one from AX48 pod, both whales from groups that we suspect use the Navy testing range offshore of the Kenai Peninsula.  Sure enough, tag returns indicate the AX48 pod is in the testing range as I write this.  The navy wants to expand the use of live ammunition and explosives in this area as well as test sonar that can damage whales hearing.  We are very concerned and our working to mitigate problems before they occur.  First we need to know just how many whales use this testing area.

We were also able to tag a member of a group of transient (marine mammal eating) whales that also appear to use the Navy testing range.  These mammals eaters are much rarer in our region and we are concerned about there future.  Determining important habitat for them is a first step in looking at their ecology.

All in all, a very successful trip.  I include a few photos of these fantastic whales.  More later….

Craig Matkin 15 June 2010