Michael Bigg

In this study I want to tag Biggs killer whales (Orcinus orca), also known as mammal eating or transient killer whales, in the mid-Salish sea. Biggs killer whales are named after Michael Bigg, a Canadian marine biologist who is considered the founder of killer whale research (Paterson, 2002). Bigg was the first scientist to look at the differences between killer whales that preyed on fish and stayed in one home range all year and those that preyed on mammals and live in larger unknown ranges. It is believed these two ecotypes diverged roughly 700,000 years ago which helps explain the differences in life history strategies (Hildering, 2013). Biggs would go on to discover the distinct cultures that exist in killer whales as well as how to identify…

We as a race have performed many studies on them to learn their life styles. Over time we started to capture them into tanks for entertainment and train them to do tricks and obey. Over all there have been many arguments about the orca whale species, “in the early 2005 orca whales and many other orca tribes had become an endangered species. The population of the Southern Residents Orcas in the Pacific Northwest has declined about 25 percent, and still we have not done enough to help them from…

Orcas’ Behind Closed Tanks Imagine you are a four to eight year old child and you are on vacation with your family entering into a SeaWorld. The excitement has been building up from the commercials that show you these huge and majestic animals that are not like the everyday animal you see on a daily basis. The commercials have a way of taking your imagination to another level, and any child even an adult is at awe with the level of performance these orcas’ are putting on.…

The moon, a large chunk of rock twirling around the Earth and the Sun. Humans have explored, researched, and mapped the moon. From its craters to its makeup, everything that humans could find out about the moon, with the technology they have, has been discovered. The moon, an object over 230,000 miles away, has been completely charted while the oceans on Earth are only about five percent charted. Although the ocean has not been mapped out completely we do have a good idea of what animals live in…

Orca whales, also known as killer whales, should not be kept in captivity. Since 1961, hundreds of orca whales have been taken from their natural habitat and placed into captivity at aquariums and aquatic parks around the world for the sake of public displays, theatrical shows, and business profit. To date, more than 127 captured orcas have died (Whale and Dolphin Conservation, n.d., figure 3). The capturing and confinement of orca whales is clearly unethical and inhumane. It poses a…

ORCA WHALES Did you know that people have developed sonar because of studying how orcas detect things using a series of clicking that they send out through their melon, or that orca’s skin grows 290 times faster than skin on your arm (Throp)? You can learn about many more things by studying orca whales. These are only a few things about orcas that have been studied; the appearance of orcas, how they hunt, and their relationship with dolphins. Orcas detect things using clicking noises that they…

The documentary ‘Blackfish’ is produced by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and stars Tilikum the orca. It is based around two water parks in the United States of America – Seaworld and Sealand. ‘Blackfish’ is a documentary that tells the true story about an orca’s life in captivity. Several pieces of emotional footages give examples of how the whales are cruelly treated and kept in poor conditions. It asks the question ‘should whales be kept in captivity?’. ‘Blackfish’ works effectively to persuade…

A bit of imagination, music, movies, novels and live entertainment can all have the same topic: marine creatures. In fact, when you hear some relaxation music themed around whale songs, that you read a novel titled Moby Dick, which is a legendary white sperm whale or even some facts about the blue whale, being the largest mammal on Earth, it is easy to think of whales. The confusion comes when the term whale is part of a sea creature's name. You see, when people talk about sharks, their mind is…

Food is not only for the stomach but also for the heart, mind and soul. It is what ties you back to your heritage and culture. That is very evident during the segment that talked about the Makah Indians. The culture and lifestyle of the Makah Indians is tied back to the sea. A big part of their culture was the hunting of the gray whales. The tribe hunted gray whales for thousands of years and they used every part of the whale as food, different items or trade if there was extra. Makah leaders…

Inspired by his struggles and the life of his son, author Brian Doyle wrote the short story “Joyas Voladoras” to share a message about emotions and the pain of love. He uses metaphors involving comparing the hearts of humans to other living organisms in order to communicate with the reader that all living things feel emotions. In “Joyas Voladoras,” Brian Doyle portrays the idea that every living thing has a heart, and no matter the size, they all have the ability to feel the pain of love. …