As Arctic Ice Melts, Killer Whales Extend Their Range To The North - Globe & Mail

New research suggests melting Arctic sea ice may be drawing more killer whales into northern oceans, raising concerns among Inuit hunters about increasing competition for food.

Federal researcher Jeff Higdon has compiled a database of the number of times the sleek, black-and-white predators have been spotted in the waters north of Newfoundland since the 1980s. “There's been a massive increase,” he said Thursday.

Two decades ago, hunters, scientists and other northern travellers usually reported about six killer whales a year in the waters of western Hudson Bay, he said. By 2000, the number of sightings in that one area had ballooned to more than 30 annually.

Mr. Higdon's data comes from Inuit hunters, conservation officers and ecotourism operators. While Arctic tourism has increased in recent years, most of the information comes from the relatively stable number of hunters who go out on the water. The reason for the increase in killer whale numbers is unclear. But Mr. Higdon, who works with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Winnipeg, said his research shows a strong correlation between increased sightings and the decline of sea ice.

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