In this Jan. 18, 2014 photo, an endangered female orca leaps from the water while breaching in Puget Sound west of Seattle, as seen from a federal research vessel that had been tracking the whales.
"That means the whales used up more energy than what they consumed from food, and they are very big animals with big energetic demands," she said. "Chinook salmon represents up to 90 per cent of their food source, and we do know their populations have been dwindling as well," she said. Scientists say orcas are not a fasting species, and depending on their size, need to consume about 200,000 calories a day. With such high energy demands, a food shortage can devastate a population.
For the record, the study shows that these orcas are currently getting 17 % less calories than what they need. SergeMasse2
For my money, the most astounding part of this study is the finding that the SRKWs are getting just 17 % of their caloric needs.
Raincoast 🥹
Make a deal with some funeral homes, start two new option for the dead. 'Be at one with an Orca' or 'Be at one with a Polar Bear'.
We’re all doomed
Post pandemic cruise ship business should cull some of those orcas and bring balance back to the west coast
Great, we went from depopulating humans back to whales again?
release some of the farmed salmon on the primarily owned & operated native fish farms