Very little is known about the killer whales  that inhabit the tropical waters of the Northern Indian Ocean.
Due to their typically offshore nature and infrequent sightings, very little is known about their ecology, movements, population structure and more…this makes them some of the most mysterious cetaceans in the world.
 
The Northern Indian Ocean Killer Whale Alliance was founded as part of a collaborative project between Orca Project Sri Lanka, a Citizen Science study of killer whales seen off Sri Lanka, and Wildlife Conservation Society biologist Tim Collins, with the hopes of shedding some light on the lives of these mysterious whales.
In addition to coordinating a Photo ID catalogue for the region and developing a general repository of sightings, the alliance was set up with the objective of increasing the number of “eyes and ears” available in the area for killer whale sightings.
Members include researchers, research groups, NGOs, whale watchers, game fishers, divers, marine enthusiasts and more. The catalogue hosts a substantial number of images from several countries across the region, which have revealed interesting localized matches.
 
Together we learn more...
Although sightings are sparse they can be far more informative when they are shared and compared. An online catalogue can be found at this website under the 'ID Catalogue' tab, in addition there is also PDF version available for download. All images contributed will be fully credited to their photographer(s), observers and/or study.
While only in the early stages, a wide network of individuals and organizations, has offered support and we hope that in time this project may reveal some of the secrets of whales in this region. This includes insights into their site fidelity, diet, movements between countries, population sizes and maybe even ecotypes.