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Interaction between killer whales (Orcinus orca) and a leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) off the north-eastern coast of Venezuela

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2009

Lenin Oviedo ,
María Alejandra Esteves ,
Estefanía Alfe ,
Romina Acevedo  and
Jaime Bolaños-Jiménez
Lenin Oviedo*
Affiliation:
Proyecto Delphinus, Isla de Margarita, Venezuela Proyecto Golfo de la Ballena, Biotrópica, Caracas, Venezuela
María Alejandra Esteves
Affiliation:
Proyecto Delphinus, Isla de Margarita, Venezuela
Estefanía Alfe
Affiliation:
Proyecto Delphinus, Isla de Margarita, Venezuela
Romina Acevedo
Affiliation:
Proyecto Golfo de la Ballena, Biotrópica, Caracas, Venezuela
Jaime Bolaños-Jiménez
Affiliation:
Sociedad Ecológica Venezolana Vida Marina (Sea Vida), AP 162, Cagua, Estado Aragua, 2122 Venezuela
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Lenin Oviedo, Proyecto Delphinus, Isla de Margarita, Venezuela email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The presence of Orcinus orca in Venezuelan waters has remained somewhat unclear. On 15 April 2007 a group of three killer whales was recorded on video interacting with a leatherback turtle off north-eastern Venezuela. This report is based on an extensive review of the original video taken during the sighting event and a detailed interview with the observers. This record of killer whales interacting with Dermochelys coriacea, as well as opportunistic sightings recorded in photographs between 2001 and 2008, represent the most solid confirmation of the species occurrence in Venezuelan territorial waters.

Keywords

killer whaleleatherback turtlesightinginteractionvideonorth-eastern coast of Venezuela
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 2 , January 2009 , e51
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

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References

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