Endangered orcas in Haro Strait 18 hours after sonar use
February 8, 2012
Sounds of southern resident killer whales were detected late in the night on Monday (2/6/12), the same day that the Canadian frigate Ottawa used sonar in their U.S. critical habitat. The calls most often used by K and L pods were automatically detected first at the Orcasound hydrophone array (around 22:45) and then on the hydrophones at Lime Kiln State Park (23:04-23:14), suggesting that the pods were heading south during that period.
The calls recorded at Orcasound are interesting in part because they are audible over a continuously squeaking ship that has peak power in the frequency range of the calls. The most recognizable call in this set of detections is the S16 call which often indicates the presence of K pod.
The Lime Kiln recordings have much less ship noise. Many S19 calls are audible (indicating L pod may have been present), along with whistles, buzz trains, and some S10 calls. Around 23:11 the signal to noise ration is very good during a series of excited variable and S19 calls that are interspersed with echolocation clicks.
37 Detections
2012-02-06 22:41:58
node=os dB=118 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 22:42:13
node=os dB=113 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 22:46:09
node=os dB=120 trigger=PKT
node=os dB=122 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 22:47:47
node=os dB=128 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:04:02
node=lk dB=102 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:04:12
node=lk dB=103 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:04:42
node=lk dB=101 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:04:52
node=lk dB=101 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:05:02
node=lk dB=98 trigger=PKT
node=lk dB=100 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:05:29
node=lk dB=104 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:06:21
node=lk dB=102 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:06:36
node=lk dB=103 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:06:46
node=lk dB=98 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:07:59
node=lk dB=105 trigger=PWR
2012-02-06 23:09:08
node=lk dB=101 trigger=PKT
node=lk dB=100 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:09:33
node=lk dB=96 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:09:43
node=lk dB=100 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:09:53
node=lk dB=103 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:10:32
node=lk dB=104 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:10:42
node=lk dB=97 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:10:52
node=lk dB=98 trigger=PKT
node=lk dB=98 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:11:13
node=lk dB=99 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:11:23
node=lk dB=99 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:11:38
node=lk dB=108 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:11:48
node=lk dB=106 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:11:58
node=lk dB=114 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:12:26
node=lk dB=105 trigger=PKT
node=lk dB=111 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:12:47
node=lk dB=121 trigger=PWR
2012-02-06 23:12:57
node=lk dB=121 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:13:22
node=lk dB=106 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:13:32
node=lk dB=103 trigger=PKT
2012-02-06 23:13:47
node=lk dB=109 trigger=PKT