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| Orca Research Collective of Antarctica (ORCA) |
Why Study Killer Whales in Antarctica
Determining the status of this top-level marine predator in Antarctica is vital to the ecological understanding of the delicate marine food web dominant in this region. Killer whales are an ideal indicator species for identifying human-induced changes in marine biological systems, mainly because their position at the top of marine food webs makes them extremely vulnerable to even the smallest of changes in their environment. Ultimately, they are capable of providing us with initial warning signs of major environmental threats such as pollution, habitat loss, over fishing and climate change. The former being a real concern at the present time because the Antarctic Peninsula and its inhabitants are now experiencing the fastest rate of climate warming ever recorded on the planet (2 to 3 times faster than the global average). The ecological repercussions stemming from this trend are presently uncertain, although a major reduction in seasonal sea-ice cover is already being observed. This, in itself, has the potential to destabilize the marine food web on all levels through its unfavorable effect on the survival of krill (the engine powering the entire Antarctic ecosystem).
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