September 20, 2024 — Scientists studied two populations of fish-eating killer whales: the Southern Residents and the southern Alaska residents. They wanted to know if these two populations of fish-eating killer whales eat different things and how their diets change throughout the year. This information will improve our conservation efforts.
The Alaska resident killer whale population appears healthy and has been growing. But Southern Resident killer whales are endangered and are one of NOAA Fisheries’ Species in the Spotlight. Decades of research have identified four major threats to their survival:
- Vessel traffic noise and disturbance
- Health issues linked to contaminants
- Issues related to inbreeding
- Limited prey availability.