CANBERRA, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Scientists have mapped the main habitats of killer whales across Australia, providing the first comprehensive national overview of their distribution.

Although killer whales are well studied in the Northern Hemisphere and Antarctica, their presence in Australia has been largely undocumented, even though they are sighted year-round along all coasts, according to research led by Flinders University in South Australia.

Researchers analyzed 1,310 killer whale sightings spanning 40 years and, using species distribution modelling, pinpointed three key Australian habitats, the Bonney Upwelling (South Australia/Victoria), Bremer Sub-basin and Ningaloo Reef (Western Australia), said the statement released Tuesday by Flinders University.

The study's lead author Marissa Hutchings of Flinders University, reports that Australia's first nationwide killer whale map reveals at least two distinct forms, temperate and tropical, and highlights the urgent need for targeted conservation, as many key habitats remain only partly protected.

The authors warn that human activities are increasingly threatening Australian killer whales and urge collaboration among researchers and marine stakeholders to improve data collection and management.

Despite their ecological importance as apex predators, killer whales in Australia remain classified as data deficient and lack strong legal protection, according to the research published in Ecology and Evolution with the British Ecological Society. ■