The foe you know: Observations of interspecific interactions between small cetaceans and northern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the northeast Pacific

We documented the first aerial observations of interspecific interactions of fish-eating, northern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) with two small cetacean species, Dall’s porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli) and Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), off northeastern Vancouver Island, (British Columbia, Canada). Specifically, we used drone-collected data to compare observations of porpoises and dolphins interacting with northern resident killer whales to understand factors which may promote interspecific interactions. From 2018 to 2021, 42 interactions were opportunistically recorded of Dall’s porpoises (19%), Pacific white-sided dolphins (74%), and both species (7%) approaching groups of travelling, milling, socializing, and resting northern resident killer whales. The mean group size of killer whales during interactions with dolphins (an average of 8 killer whales) and porpoises (an average of 3 killer whales) was significantly different. Porpoises interacted only ..., , # The foe you know: Observations of interspecific interactions between small cetaceans and northern resident killer whales (*Orcinus orca*) in the northeast Pacific

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.2bvq83c2c](10.5061/dryad.2bvq83c2c)

## Description of the data and file structure

The Foe You Know: Observations of interspecific interactions between small cetaceans and northern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the northeast Pacific

**Authors**

Brittany C. Visona-Kelly and Lance G. Barrett-Lennard

**Purpose**

Supplementary video files to accompany the publication titled above.

**Usage Restrictions**
The video files are published under the terms of the [CC0 waiver](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). Please contact the lead author if you have any questions (see contact information below).

**Citation**
Visona-Kelly, B. C., & Barrett-Lennard, L. G. 2025. The Foe You Know: Observations of interspecific interactions between small cetaceans and northern resident kill...,