Southern Resident orcas have more diverse diet than previously thought, research reveals

||| FROM KOMO NEWS |||

Southern Resident killer whales, a critically endangered population that frequents the Puget Sound during the summer and fall, have a more varied diet than previously believed, according to new research.

Dr. Amy Van Cise, a postdoctoral researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Northwest Fisheries Science Center, said “Those big, fatty, delicious, energy-rich, nutrient-dense fish, they are providing a lot of energy to these animals.”

While Chinook, chum, and coho salmon are the primary food sources for these whales, researchers have discovered that their diet extends beyond these fish.

“Outside the summer months, and maybe when they aren’t in the San Juan Islands, they actually eat a lot of things that are not Chinook salmon, which is a cool new finding,” Van Cise said.

The whales have been found to consume cod and other unexpected fish species.

“They’re out there eating things like cod and fish, and all these other fish that you wouldn’t expect our salmon-loving killer whales to be eating,” Van Cise added.

The new dietary findings are significant as they could aid conservation efforts for the southern resident killer whales, whose populations are declining due to several factors.

Van Cise noted, “We don’t have a good sense whether that has always been the way that they forage or if it’s some kind of a new response to the lack of Chinook in the area.”

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