Refined Palettes! How Spatial And Seasonal Foraging Patterns Are Driving Differences In North Pacific Resident Killer Whales

In the northeast Pacific Ocean, there are three populations of resident (fish-eating) killer whales that share overlap in their ranges from California to Alaska (Southern Residents, Northern Residents, & Southern Alaska Residents). On this episode, Dr. Amy Van Cise, Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, shares with us about her fascinating research exploring how seasonality and foraging patterns may be influencing diet differences between SRKWs and SARKWs as well as amongst SRKW pods. Since SRKWs are highly endangered, understanding foraging ecology and how foraging patterns may be linked to success and decline of these populations can help to better inform management strategies.