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EPIB Trail
Volume 11, Issue 5
The Elusive Type D Killer Whale By Dru Corbeille For many decades, fishermen and tourists have reported sightings of an unusual whale. The sightings began in 1955, when it was reported that there had been a mass stranding in New Zealand. Through the years, there have been numerous additional sightings, but none by scientists. While looking similar to an Orca whale, the whale which is now being referred to as a Type D Killer Whale differs in that their dorsal fin is smaller and more pointed. The whale also has a much smaller white eyepatch and a rounder head. This whale, A Type D killer whale, top, and a more common killer whale. (Photos: Paul Tixier; formerly only rumored, has now Robert Pitman via AP) officially been observed by scientists and researchers off the coast of Cape Horn, Chile. This past Works Referenced January, 2019, scientists from the National Oceanic and Eisele, Elizabeth. “Possible New Species of Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Scripps Killer Whale Found Off Coast of Chile.” CBS Institution of Oceanography were able to observe San Francisco, CBS San Francisco, 10 Mar. approximately thirty of these mammals and obtain 2019, tissue and blubber samples. The scientists believe that sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/03/10/ the newly discovered mammal is either an killer-whale-coast-chile/.https:// undocumented species, or a mutation of the Orca. “The www.king5.com/article/tech/science/ Orcas are ‘highly likely’ to be a new species” says Robert environment/mysterious-new-killer-whalePitman, a researcher with the NOAA. The location of the found-off-chilean-coast/281-abe3cd8bwhales which was about sixty miles off the coast of Cape aa55-4a41-857b-f5fcb13f0498 “New Species of Killer Whale Discovered off Horn is a region with the “world’s worst weather”. This Chile Coast.” 6abc Philadelphia, ABC7.Com, region is home to “the most inhospitable waters on the 8 Mar. 2019, www.6abc.com/petsplanet,” Pitman adds, which makes for a great hiding animals/new-species-of-killer-whaleplace for undocumented species. discovered-off-chile-coast/5176051/ At the time this article was written, NOAA Main, Douglas. “Mysterious New Orca Species scientists are waiting for an export permit to take the Likely Identified.” National Geographic, tissue samples out of Chile in order to further study and National Geographic Society, 7 Mar. 2019, determine if the whale is a mutation of the Orca or an www.nationalgeographic.com/ undocumented species. Currently, the whale is called a animals/2019/03/new-killer-whale-species Type D Killer whale, or sub-Antarctic killer whale. -discovered/
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