An orca surfaces off the coast of Lund on Sunday, July 16.
Southern resident killer whales, listed as endangered species in 2005 by the U.S., currently number just 78 and show little sign of recovery. A new study published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE identifies low availability of Chinook salmon, a dietary staple, as an important stressor among orcas and a major cause of late pregnancy failure.
“Results point to the importance of promoting Chinook salmon recovery to enhance population growth of southern resident killer whales,” the study concluded.
