The federal government has announced $12-million to protect the endangered southern resident killer whales off the B-C coast. Of that $935,000 is going to 3 UVic researchers to study the impact of underwater noise on the orcas, and the chinook salmon they depend on for almost 80% of their diet.
One of the scientists -- Rosaline Canessa -- says researchers will install underwater cameras in key foraging areas to observe how boats affect the orca's ability to echo-locate their food and communicate.
"Well it's going to enable us to do some exciting research that otherwise wouldn't have been possible. Research particularly on the foraging activities of the southern resident killer whales in relation to the noise impact that could affect that."
And infra-red cameras will be used as well:
" And that will enable us to look at the behaviours and activity of southern resident killer whales at night. Which is going to be obviously a quieter time , and compare that to the behaviour and some physiology when there are vessels around."
The southern resident orcas are the only killer whale population listed as endangered. There are just 76 of the whales left. The primary cause of their decline and inability to recover is chronically low chinook numbers, combined with pollution and noise disturbance from vessels.