| dc.description.abstract | During the last two or three years schools
of killer whales have often been reported in fjords and even harbours in
Norway. The fishermen and their organizations fear that an increasing
number of killer whales may decimate the growing population of Atlantic-
Scandian herring. In order to obtain more information about the whales
a marking cruise was made by the Institute of Marine Research, Bergen,
to Kristiansund on the coast of Møre in January 1978.
On the cruise about 30 killer whales were observed. Two whales were
marked and possibly one more. Before marking the killers were not
afraid of the vessel. After a hit of a mark, the whales ran away, and
it was impossible to approach the school again. The whales also could
identify the marking vessel amongst other ships. When the school ran
away, the females with calves went first, and then, side by side, the
rest of the animals in the school. During the flight, the whales dived
and surfaced synchronously. Whalers have observed that when scattered
killer whales are frightened, they always gather in a school before they
run away.
Fishermen have observed killer whales gathering herring by swimming in
circles around the fish. When a compact school has been collected, two
or three whales at time swim inside the ring and eat the herring while
the rest of the killers hold the circle. Previous unpublished data from
examination of stomach contents show that killer whales eat herring,
squid and seals. ( The skin of the seal was found inverted in the stomack.)
Small brown-reddish calves in the schools of killer whales found
near Kristiansund in January, confirm earlier statements that birth
occurs in November -December. | en |
