title: Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Predation on Beaked Whales (Mesoplodon spp.) in the Bremer Sub-Basin, Western Australia.
abstract: Observations of killer whales (Orcinus orca) feeding on the remains of beaked whales have been previously documented; however, to date, there has been no published account of killer whales actively preying upon beaked whales. This article describes the first field observations of killer whales interacting with, hunting and preying upon beaked whales (Mesoplodon spp.) on four separate occasions during 2014, 2015 and 2016 in the Bremer Sub-Basin, off the south coast of Western Australia.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Marine Science & Technology, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8427-564X
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wellard
authors.affiliation: Nature Photographer, Winthrop, WA 6150, Australia.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lightbody
authors.affiliation: Centre for Marine Science & Technology, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fouda
authors.affiliation: Marine Studies Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blewitt
authors.affiliation: Riggs Australia Pty Ltd, PO Box 2076, Esperance, WA 6450, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Riggs
authors.affiliation: Centre for Marine Science & Technology, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Erbe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D014904:Western Australia; D050685:Whale, Killer / Q000502:physiology*; D014907:Whales