Food-sharing behavior is common. There are cultures, which may extend even into biological differences, displayed by killer whales who occupy the same waters. These salmon-eating resident killer whales with whom we were kayaking are the most commonly sighted orcas in the San Juan Islands, but there are also pods of so-called “transient” orcas (also known as Bigg’s killer whales, after the late Canadian researcher, Michael Bigg, who first identified them) who come trolling through as well. These whales do not eat much fish, but prefer instead to munch on seals, sea lions, and various other
...more
