Lisa Ballance, Ph.D. ’93

Dr. Lisa Ballance Ph.D. ’93 is on the brink of discovering a new species.

Ballance and Robert Pitman, both scientists for the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, have spent the last six years investigating whether Antarctica’s killer whales may be a distinctly different species from those found in more northerly waters. Recent technological innovation may provide the impetus needed to confirm the existence of a new species.

Based at McMurdo Station in the Southern Ross Sea, Ballance and Pitman had previously examined the genetic tissues of these whales and have monitored their behavior. Using digital photography from the air, they measured the whales’ size. They also collected tissue samples, which were used for genetic analysis.

“Obtaining these samples is often quite exciting. We stand merely feet away from the leads, or narrow cracks in the ice, and shoot small darts that bounce off the animals’ skin as they surface and pass by, harvesting a small amount of tissue,” said Ballance.

Recent developments have revolutionized the way the scientists track their subjects. By attaching harmless electronic tags to the whales’ dorsal fins, Ballance and Pitman can track whales’ travels through a satellite system.

Pitman sees movement patterns to be a significant factor, as unique movement may intimate the presence of a new species. “If they are a different species, we could expect to see different movement patterns between the different types,” Pitman said.

The NOAA enlisted the help of Dr. Russ Andrews of the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska in attaching the satellite trackers to the whales. As the animal passes through an ice channel, a modified air gun attaches the temporary transmitter to the whale’s dorsal fin.

So far, 12 whales have been tagged for observation, with the last transmission lasting for about two months. Although results cannot yet be confirmed, it appears that the whales observed are part of a distinct population of killer whales. This study would greatly contribute to evidence positing that these Antarctic killer whales are indeed a different species.