Video: Killer whales attack dolphins in full view of Departure Bay ferry

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/02/04/video-killer-whales-attack-dolphins-in-full-view-of-departure-bay-ferry/#null

Russian Orcas have been collaborating with a scientific group that studies behavioural lateralization. They have found that in orca, "calves preferred to keep their mothers on their left side, but if the boat came too close, mother took over and moved to the calf's right side, to keep the calf on her left side". Here is the scientific paper documenting the study:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347213004296

Researchers from the University of Lincoln working with orca expert Professor Rus Hoelzel from Durham University concluded that orcas experienced a rapid decline and evolutionary bottleneck during the last Ice Age. You can find out more about their study here: 

http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/news/2014/02/839.asp

The captured Russian orcas will not be exhibited at the Sochi Olympics. Read more from orca researcher Erich Hoyt below:

No orcas will be exhibited at the Olympics in Sochi. Also no dolphin will carry the torch, as earlier proposed by the region. Both of these confirmed by the President, Sochi Olympic Committee. There had been a plan to send orcas to Sochi (but not necessarily for the Olympics) in early December but it was postponed. The Sochi Dolphinarium was involved in the capture of the 7 orcas in the Okhotsk Sea in 2013 so at some point they might be expected to take delivery. For now, at least 2 orcas, including Narnia, are staying in small pens in Moscow while others have gone to China. No orcas are performing yet in Russia or China and we suppose they are now being trained for the circus shows. (Photo shows Narnia in captivity in Nakhodka, nr Vladivostok, before being moved to Moscow in December.)

For more information, visit Russian Orcas. 

Via Underdog Entertainment:
"We are honored to announce that the documentary we produced for the Orca Network, "A Day in the Life of Lolita the Performing Orca" featuring world-renowned Orca Biologist Dr Ingrid N. Visser is an official selection at the prestigious San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival. The film screens on March 8, if you are in SanFran, come check it out!"

http://www.oceanfilmfest.org/film-program-2014/film-program-2014-saturday-march-8/

Here's the YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvYc2o__uz0&list=UUh-RE0N-viOu2t8A-_Znr6Q&feature=c4-overview

Our founding campaign manager Sam Lipman spoke to Dave Roberts about orca on Ridge Radio. 

"A big thank you to Dave Roberts for inviting me to talk about orca on his Ridge Radio show Music For Grown Ups with Dave Roberts! There were lots of fantastic questions asked and I was blown away by the level of interest in these amazing creatures. A big thank you to everyone who tuned in." - Sam Lipman, campaign manager. 

Here is a recording of the show: http://www.mixcloud.com/musicforgrownupswithdaverobert/sam-lipman-talks-about-the-orca-whale/

(Photo: Sam at Ridge Radio taken by Dave Roberts)