Table 5 Summary of Inuit interviewee information and observations of killer whale attacks on beluga whales, and observations of dead beluga whales that were killed by killer whales.

Interviewees reporting first-hand observations

4

3

1

7

15

Interviewees reporting second-hand observations and stories

3

3

6

Interviewees providing descriptions of attacks and attack methods

2

5

1

10

18

Killer whales:

   ...circle the belugas before commencing an attack

1

1

   ...splash a lot when hunting belugas

1

1

   ...ram beluga whales in the side, "to break their ribs"

1

1

2

   ...toss belugas around, throw them in the air

3

3

   ...bite belugas in the midsection, lift them out of the water, carry them around

2

4

6

   ...leave lots of blubber scraps with bite marks, and oil slicks on the water

4

4

8

   ...kill beluga whales for fun, play with them, and sometimes do not eat them

2

2

   ...prefer the meat, and strip the blubber off the belugas

2

2

   ...will start to eat belugas when they are still alive

1

1

   ...sometimes eat belugas underwater, big pieces of blubber float to the surface

1

1

   ...leave blubber and dead whales behind that Inuit gather for food

1

1

Interviewees reporting dead belugas (or parts) that were killed by killer whales

2

1

4

7

Interviewees providing descriptions of dead belugas

2

1

4

7

Hunters find:

   ...dead belugas with their ribs busted

1

1

   ...dead belugas with the blubber missing

1

1

   ...dead belugas covered in bite marks

1

1

   ...belugas that the killer whales have killed and left, wasting them

1

1

   ...scraps of blubber and maktak, all chewed up, floating in the water

2

1

4

7