Southern Resident orcas spend less time near San Juan Islands because of salmon supply
Southern Resident orcas are spending less time in the San Jan Islands and the reason is likely connected to the whale's food supply, a new study found.
The Salish Sea around the San Juan Islands has traditionally been a hotspot for the Southern Resident orcas, particularly in the summer months when the whales feed on Chinook salmon. The fish-eating orcas feed off the salmon as the fish pass through the San Juan Islands to spawning grounds in the Fraser River.
The study found that over the past 17 years, as the Fraser River Chinook salmon population has dropped, the time spent by the orcas around the San Juan Islands has declined by more than 75%, according to Joshua Stewart, an assistant professor with Oregon State University's Marine Mammal Institute and the study's lead author. The findings were published Monday in the journal Marine Mammal Science.
The study used whale sighting data compiled from naturalists and researchers throughout the Salish Sea, including researchers with the Center for Whale Research, which is based out of Friday Harbor.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/southern-resident-orcas-spend-less-time-near-san-juan-islands-because-of-salmon-supply/ar-AA198UqR