Photo Credit: North Gulf Oceanic Society
Alaskan Resident Beach Rubbing
Photo Credit: Killer Whales of Southern Alaska
The Alaskan Residents are a fairly large population consisting of 32 separate pods and one "grey box" group of residents that have yet to be sorted into any pod. They, like all other resident populations, are very vocal and are often heard over hydrophones, even if they aren't seen. They are fairly surface active and share the behavior of beach rubbing with the Northern Resident Community. It is currently unknown where the Alaskan Residents picked up the beach rubbing, but they and the Northern Residents are the only populations that have been documented participating in the behavior. On March 24, 1989, when the vessel Exxon Valdez spilled 53.1 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound, AB pod swam through it, resulting in 16 whales going missing and being confirmed as deceased by 1990. AB Pod continues to struggle to this day and their numbers are lower than many of the other pods.
Photo Credit: North Gulf Oceanic Society
Species: Orcinus orca ater
Population Numbers:
Alaskan Residents travel in matrilineal groups consisting of mothers, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandmothers, and cousins that range from as few as 3 whales to as many as 40 whales. There are currently two clans identified in this population, although not all pods fall into these clans. The pods in each clan are as follows:
AB Clan: AB, AI, AJ, AF, and AN Pods
AD Clan: AD, AE, and AK Pods
Population Status: Conservation Dependent
Study Years: 1984-present
Diet: Mostly Chum, Coho, and Chinook Salmon, some Halibut and Arrowtooth Flounder, and very small percentages of Sockeye and Black Cod