Freedom of Movement
by Gayle Swigart
Title
Freedom of Movement
Artist
Gayle Swigart
Medium
Photograph - Photo - Photography
Description
A member of the endangered Southern Resident orca population spyhops in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with the Olympic Mountain Range of Washington State, USA in the background.
Orca societies have different cultures based on their prey type, but all are matriarchal. The "resident" ecotype only consumes fish and lives in multigenerational family groups, or subpods, which stay together for life and survive cooperatively. Three pods - J, K, and L - make up the Southern Resident orca population, but they are considered one clan, designated by researchers as J Clan. This genetically-distinct, endangered orca population currently consists of only 81 individuals.
Uploaded
August 27th, 2013
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