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Information
Although
killer whales can be found in both the open ocean and
coastal waters, they primarily inhabit the continental
shelf in waters less than 200 m (656 ft.) deep. In cold
water areas, their distribution is limited by seasonal
pack ice. In eastern Canada, killer whale movements
are often a response to seal and rorqual whale migrations,
while northeastern Atlantic killer whales seem to follow
herring. In the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas,
killer whales make considerable seasonal movements in
response to the advance and retreat of the pack ice.
No one knows how many Killer Whales there are in the
wild. But, we know some regional groups of killer whale
populations. In southeastern Alaska the population is
at about 250. The population around Prince William Sound,
western Alaska/Bering Sea, and British Columbia/Puget
Sound by Vancouver Island are believed to be around
300 for each area. Population estimates in the Antarctic
range from 70,000 to 180,000. With so many killer whales
in the wild they are not an endagered species.
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