Pacific white-sided dolphins and A55 Northern Resident killer whale

During our drone-assisted photogrammetry work to evaluate the body condition and health of killer whales, we often witness and document important behavior.
Read more about our photogrammetry work: www.raincoast....
Pacific white-sided dolphins are often seen approaching and swimming with fish-eating Resident killer whales, as in these clips, but never with marine mammal-eating Bigg’s killer whales.
In this case, the recipients of the dolphin’s exuberant attention were the Northern Residents A80, A55 and A34 (all from the A34 matriline).
Killer whales are the quintessential example of a species that embodies cultural traits. On the North Pacific there are three types (or ecotypes) of killer whale: Residents, Bigg’s and Offshores, with different diets, genetics, vocalizations and behavior.
We’ve known for a while that other marine mammals can recognize the different ecotypes, and one idea amongst killer whale biologists is that dolphins may benefit from hanging out with fish-eating Residents, if this provides protection from marine-mammal eating Bigg’s killer whales.
Soon after, not far from where the dolphins were pestering Residents, three Bigg’s killer whales (T120, T117 and T146D) slowly and methodically hunted this adult sea lion, who bravely fought them off for about an hour (adult sea lions can inflict serious damage with their teeth, so persistence and caution is a good strategy for the killer whales).
⚠️It is illegal to fly drones over marine mammals if not under permit. This video clips were taken under SARA permit XMMS-2-2022-Amendment 2 (at a minimum 30m altitude).
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Raincoast is a team of conservationists and scientists empowered by our research to protect the lands, waters and wildlife of coastal British Columbia.