Project ORCA - Orca Research & Conservation Australia

New killer whale research!

Delighted to share our new paper published in Scientific Data.

This collaborative study presents the first open-access, image-based dataset of interactions between killer whales and elasmobranchs (sharks and rays), compiling 300+ images from 12 countries. The dataset shows that encounters between these marine predators involve far more than just predation and is designed to support future research.

It’s also a great example of international scientific collaboration, with contributors sharing imagery and expertise from around the world.

Read the open-access paper here ⬇️
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-026-06740-3

🚨 New killer whale research! 🚨

I am excited to announce the publication of our new paper in the journal Scientific Data!

This data paper presents the first open-access, image-based dataset documenting interactions between marine predators, specifically killer whales and elasmobranchs. Our team of authors has compiled over 300 images showcasing a variety of interactions between killer whales and elasmobranchs from 12 different countries around the world. Contrary to popular belief, predation is not the only type of interaction that can occur between a killer whale and a shark or ray. Our dataset is designed to support other researchers in future studies focusing on interactions among marine predators.

This paper also highlights the power of community science. All of our authors come from diverse backgrounds, each contributing their time, expertise, and, most importantly, their imagery. This collaborative effort made this project possible, and I am grateful for their contributions.

This paper is fully open-access, allowing you to explore all the amazing photos and videos in the linked repository! See below ⬇️

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-026-06740-3

A single male killer whale has stranded and is now deceased at Winderabandi Point in Nyinggulara National Park on the Ningaloo Coast. This individual was first sighted on Thursday and has been observed over the following days.

At this stage, this male has not been identified as part of the Ningaloo population, with no positive ID matches to known individuals.

We are currently cross-checking this individual against ID catalogues from across the Western Australian coastline. So far, we do not have a match. We will continue working through our photo-ID catalogues and liaising with colleagues.

Killer whales have been observed in all State and Territory waters, and we continue to document different individuals along the Western Australian coastline. There is the well-known population of killer whales observed regulaly off Bremer Bay and the south coast (SWA). We also resight and catalogue individuals along the mid-coast (MWA)- notably Rottnest Island. And there is also the well-known individuals observed on the Ningaloo Coast. We are yet to observe any social mixing with these three groupings as of yet.

The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) is managing the area. Please give the team time and space to carry out their important work safely and respectfully.

We are grateful to DBCA for their cooperation in enabling us researchers Cetrec WA Flinders University to work alongside them to conduct a necropsy and collect critical samples that will contribute to our understanding of these incredible animals.

A sad outcome of this individual, but the information gathered will be important in helping inform future research and conservation efforts. There is still much to learn about the incredible killer whales seen on Australia’s coastline.

Ningaloo orca sighted!

📢 New Publication Alert!

We’re proud to share a new publication led by Flinders University PhD candidate Marissa Hutchings, exploring killer whale morphology in the Southern Hemisphere 🐋

This study was completed in collaboration with Flinders University, Killer Whales Australia, Project ORCA and CETREC. It explores variation in eye patch and dorsal fin shape across five regional groups in Australia and Antarctica, contributing to our understanding of killer whale diversity and informing future conservation efforts.

You can read the paper here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42991-025-00523-w

Congratulations to Marissa and all involved—great to see this work come together.

😏🐋 Smiling assassin?
Every year we uncover more about what these apex predators eat in the Bremer Sub-Basin — one of the only places in the world where offshore killer whales can be studied consistently.

And tomorrow night you’ll see it all come to life, with breathtaking imagery of killer whales taking down the largest animal on Earth… the blue whale.

📣 Countdown to Killer Whale: Australia’s Megapod

Premieres tomorrow, 8:30pm on ABC.

Credit: ABC Cinematography Team

Meet Dr. Bec Wellard 🎧🐋
Research Adjunct at Curtin University and Lead Researcher at Project ORCA, Bec is a marine mammal scientist, bioacoustician, and passionate ocean advocate.

With over 20 years of dedicated cetacean research, she has investigated the population demographics of marine mammals, studied underwater acoustics, and worked tirelessly to communicate important scientific findings.

For her PhD, Bec carried out fieldwork in Australia and Antarctica, investigating the vocal repertoire, social structure, and feeding preferences of killer whales. Her research has helped inform the creation of protected areas, including the Bremer Sub-Basin Marine Park, and continues to push the boundaries of marine mammal science.

See Bec in action in Killer Whale: Australia’s Megapod — airing this Tuesday, 8:30pm on ABC.

Meet John Totterdell — seasoned mariner and leader of CETREC WA 🐋⚓

For over 40 years, John has spent his life at sea, dedicating the past 15 years to studying Western Australia’s killer whales. Every season, he braves the canyon, tagging, biopsying, and capturing imagery to uncover the lives and behaviour of these apex predators.

His work is crucial for conservation efforts and connecting the community with the ocean. Watch him in action in Killer Whale: Australia’s Megapod, airing next Tuesday 8:30pm on ABC.

Teamwork at its fiercest 🐋💥

In WA’s Bremer Sub-Basin, killer whales gather in their hundreds — hunting, feeding, and sharing prey in ways that challenge what we thought we knew about orca behaviour.

Discover the secrets of this population in Killer Whale: Australia’s Megapod — next Tuesday, 8:30pm on ABC.

📸 Image courtesy of ABC

Meet Dr. Isabella Reeves 🧬🐋
Postdoctoral researcher at CETREC WA and the Southern Shark Ecology Group, Isabella specialises in evolutionary ecology — with over a decade of cetacean research behind her.

Her work investigates how genetics and nutrition shape killer whale behaviour, diet, and survival. From fieldwork on the ocean to lab analyses and advanced modelling, Isabella uncovers the hidden forces that drive the lives of these apex predators.

Her discoveries on WA’s Bremer killer whales feature in Killer Whale: Australia’s Megapod — airing next Tuesday, 8:30pm on ABC.