cooler waters from about New Jersey north. Throughout 

 their range, killer whales seem to prefer coastal areas and 

 often enter shallow bays, estuaries, and river mouths in 

 search of food. 



Migrations of the species are probably closely tied to 

 movements of their food supply. They annually arrive on the 

 coast of New England with the tuna. Along the Canadian 

 coasts, where distribution and migrations have been 

 described in some detail, killer whales appear to move 

 inshore in spring and summer. Many arrive off the east coast 

 of Newfoundland in June, the Strait of Belle Isle in June and 

 July, and slightly later along the Labrador coast and Arctic 

 waters. They are found around the loose ice in April, 

 presumably feeding on harp seals, Pagophilus groenlandicus, 

 and hooded seals, Cystophora cristata, and are frequent in 

 the St. Lawrence estuary in spring and autumn following the 



movements of the white whales. The northward movements 

 in spring also coincide with migrations of balaenopterine 

 whales, which have also been reported among the food items. 

 Killer whales may remain in arctic or subarctic waters until 

 driven out by new forming ice in October and November. 

 Though the migration has not been as thoroughly described, 

 killer whales apparently begin shifting southwards in 

 autumn. 



Stranded Specimens 



Stranded killer whales should be readily identifiable by 

 the robust body, the distinctive body markings, and in larger 

 animals the tall dorsal fin. Killer whales have from 10 to 12 

 large, prominent teeth on each side of the upper and lower 

 jaws. 



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Figure 89. — Killer whales are often distributed very close to shore. In these photos from Baja California, they are shown in two characteristic 

 behaviors— breaching (top) and "spy-hopping" or "pitchpoling" (bottom). (Photos by S. Leatherwood.) 



