Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T12:41:27.223Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

First confirmed sightings of the killer whale (Orcinus orca) in Sri Lanka's waters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2010

Anoukchika D. Ilangakoon ,
Ramani Jayewardene  and
Lester D. Perera
Anoukchika D. Ilangakoon*
Affiliation:
Cetacean Specialist Group of IUCN, 215, Grandburg Place, Maharagama, Sri Lanka
Ramani Jayewardene
Affiliation:
Ward Place, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka
Lester D. Perera
Affiliation:
Bird and Wildlife Team, 17 C.P. de Silva Mawatha, Kaldemulla, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: A.D. IlangakoonCetacean Specialist Group of IUCN, 215 Grandburg Place, MaharagamaSri Lanka email: anouki@zeynet.com
Get access

Abstract

Three killer whale (Orcinus orca) sightings were recorded during the twelve month period from March 2008 to February 2009 in the northern Indian Ocean waters around Sri Lanka. This included the first sighting of this species during a dedicated cetacean survey. In the past three decades, several dedicated cetacean surveys have revealed high species richness around Sri Lanka, but no killer whale sightings were recorded. Records thus far have been limited to two, very old, unconfirmed sightings and a few specimens in the fisheries bycatch. Due to this paucity of records despite dedicated surveys, the species has been considered to be rare in these waters. It is of interest however, that three sightings were reported during a short time span of one year, when no sightings had been reported previously despite numerous dedicated cetacean surveys and opportunistic observations of cetaceans in these waters.

Keywords

Sri Lankakiller whaleOrcinus orcasightings
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 3 , June 2010 , e14
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Afsal, V.V., Yousuf, K.S.S.M., Anoop, B., Anoop, A.K., Kannan, P., Rajagopalan, M. and Vivekanandan, E. (2008) A note on cetacean distribution in the Indian EEZ and contiguous seas during 2003–07. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 10, 209–215.Google Scholar
Alling, A. (1986) Records of odontocetes in the northern Indian Ocean (1981–1982) and off the coast of Sri Lanka (1982–1984). Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 83, 376–394.Google Scholar
Anderson, R.C. (2005) Observations of cetaceans in the Maldives, 1990–2002. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 7, 119–135.Google Scholar
Broker, K.C.A. and Ilangakoon, A.D. (2008) Occurrence, threats and conservation of cetaceans in and around the Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary, Sri Lanka. Oryx 42, 286–291.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Silva, P.H.D.H. (1987) Cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) recorded off Sri Lanka, India, from the Arabian Sea and Gulf, Gulf of Aden and from the Red Sea. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 84, 505–525.Google Scholar
Dayaratne, P. and Joseph, L. (1993) A study on dolphin catches in Sri Lanka. Bay of Bengal Programme, India, 47 pp.Google Scholar
Ford, J.K.B. (2009) Killer whale Orcinus orca. In Perrin, W.F, Würsig, B.G. and Thewissen, J.G.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of marine mammals. 2nd edition. London: Academic Press, Elsevier Inc, pp. 650–651.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ilangakoon, A. (1989) A socio-economic study of cetacean harvesting in Sri Lanka. In Leatherwood, S. and Reeves, R.R. (eds) Marine mammal research and conservation in Sri Lanka 1985–1986. Marine Mammal Technical Report No. 1. Nairobi: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), pp. 54–67.Google Scholar
Ilangakoon, A. (1997) Species composition, seasonal variation, sex ratio and body length of small cetaceans caught off the west, south-west and south coasts of Sri Lanka. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 94, 298–306.Google Scholar
Ilangakoon, A.D. (2002) Whales and dolphins, Sri Lanka. Colombo: WHT Publications Ltd.Google Scholar
Ilangakoon, A.D. (2005) Research and conservation of marine mammals in relation to the Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary North-Western Sri Lanka, Project Completion Report. Coastal Resources Management Project of the Coast Conservation Department, Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Sri Lanka and Asian Development Bank, 37 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ilangakoon, A.D. (2008) Cetacean species richness and relative abundance around the Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary, Sri Lanka. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 105, 274–278.Google Scholar
Ilangakoon, A.D. (2009). Cetacean survey off southern Sri Lanka, 2008–2009 Project Completion Report. Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, UK, 25 pp.Google Scholar
Ilangakoon, A.D. and Perera, L.D. (2009) Cetacean and seabird survey off south-west Sri Lanka, 2008–2009. Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong, 37 pp.Google Scholar
Ilangakoon, A.D., Subasinghe, H.A.K. and Mahendra, W.P. (1992) On rare cetacean species off Sri Lanka including the killer whale Orcinus orca (Linn.) (Delphinidae: Cetacea). Miscellaneous Note 3. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 89, 363–365.Google Scholar
Ilangakoon, A.D., Ratnasooriya, W.D. and Miththapala, S. (2000) Species diversity, seasonal variation and capture method of small cetaceans on the west coast of Sri Lanka. Vidyodaya Journal of Science 9, 37–52.Google Scholar
Leatherwood, S. and Reeves, R.R. (1989) Marine mammal research and conservation in Sri Lanka 1985–1986. UNEP Marine Mammal Technical Report No. 1. Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).Google Scholar
Leatherwood, S., Peters, R., Santerre, R., Santerre, M. and Clark, J.C. (1984) Observations of cetaceans in the northern Indian Ocean Sanctuary, November 1980–May 1983. Report of the International Whaling Commission 34, 509–520.Google Scholar
Leatherwood, S., Prematunga, W.P., Girton, P., McBrearty, D., Ilangakoon, A. and McDonald, D. (1991) Records of the ‘blackfish’ (killer, false killer, pilot, pygmy killer, and melon-headed whales) in the Indian Ocean, 1772–1986. In Leatherwood, S. and Donovan, G.P. (eds) Cetaceans and cetacean research in the Indian Ocean Sanctuary. Marine Mammal Technical Report No. 3, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), pp. 33–65.Google Scholar
Matkin, C.O. and Leatherwood, S. (1986) General biology of the killer whale: a synopsis of knowledge. In Kirkevold, B.C. and Lockard, J.S. (eds) Behavioural biology of the killer whale. New York: Allan R. Liss, pp. 35–68.Google Scholar
Nishiwaki, M. (1983) Marine mammal species considered to be in the Indian Ocean. Paper NARA/SMMIO/SP12 presented to the Symposium on Marine Mammals of the Indian Ocean, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 30 pp.Google Scholar
Ocean Alliance. (2003) Voyage of the Odyssey, Sri Lanka: Regional Report, 29 March to 17 June, 2003. Lincoln, MA: Ocean Alliance, 11 pp.Google Scholar
Reeves, R.R., Stewart, B.S., Clapham, P.J. and Powell, J.A. (2002) National Audubon Society guide to marine mammals of the world. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc.Google Scholar
Santos, M.C. de O. and da Silva, E. (2009) Records of a male killer whale (Orcinus orca) off southeastern Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Oceanography 57, 65–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sathasivam, K. (2004) Marine mammals of India. India: Universities Press (India) Private Limited.Google Scholar
Siciliano, S., Lailson-Brito, J. and Azevedo, A.F. (1999) Seasonal occurrence of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in waters of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mammalian Biology 64, 251–255.Google Scholar
Vinayachandran, P.N., Chauhan, P., Mohan, M. and Nayak, S. (2004) Biological response of the sea around Sri Lanka to summer monsoon. Geophysical Research Letters 31, L01302.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Visser, I.N. and Bonoccorso, F.J. (2003) New observations and a review of killer whale (Orcinus orca) sightings in Papua New Guinea waters. Aquatic Mammals 29, 150–172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar