Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are the largest members of the oceanic dolphin family and can be found in waters across the globe. They are incredibly social animals, travelling, hunting and playing in groups known as pods. Often times these pods are family-based, where the mother leads her offspring and their young, sharing hunting techniques and specific vocalizations.
When it comes to feeding, killer whales as a species are generalists, eating anything from fish to pinnipeds (seals) to other cetaceans (whales). Depending on the geographical location of certain populations of these whales we tend to see specialization in their diets. Known as “ecotypes,” some killer whale populations specialize in marine mammals, some on sharks, and most commonly in our area, salmon.
Killer whales are an iconic species in Washington State. Three pods known as the Southern Residents frequent the Puget Sound and people from around the world travel to the area to catch a glimpse of these whales from land and at sea. These Southern Resident whales however are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. They face many threats daily from polluted waters, boating traffic and a diminishing food supply. The majority of the Southern Residents’ diet consists of salmon, with Chinook salmon being the primary choice due to them being large fish with a high lipid (fat) content and can be found in Puget Sound year-round. These salmon however are also listed under the Endangered Species Act, making their availability a limiting factor in the recovery of the Southern Resident killer whales.
Young orca feeding on salmon
( (c) NOAA, Lynne Barre)
Southern Resident killer whales travel between British Columbia and California each year, spending the summer months feeding on salmon in Puget Sound. Chinook salmon make up about 70% of the Southern Residents’ salmonid diet and of that 70%, approximately 3-7% originates from the Skagit River.
The Skagit River is the largest river system that flows into the Puget Sound, stretching 150 miles and draining 1.7 million acres in British Columbia and Washington State. The Skagit is the only large river system in Washington that contains healthy populations of all five native salmon species and two species of trout. Restoring habitat and flow conditions within the Skagit watershed is important for increasing wild fish stocks critical to the recovery of Puget Sound’s endangered whale population.
Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group works to improve and restore habitat to support salmon populations. By helping to restore salmon populations, we also help restore killer whale populations. Help us help them by getting involved!
By WSC Education Associate KayLani Siplin
Sources:
Click to access preyselectionFord.pdf
Click to access preystudy2010.pdf
Click to access Biol.%20Lett.-2010-Ford-139-42.pdf
Wonderful Watersheds
From the FieldTwo students at Conway School inspect their paper watersheds.
September may signal the end of summer, but it also marks the beginning of another school year. For us, it’s once again time for Junior Stream Stewards. Throughout the year, we lead lessons on salmon and their habitat in area middle schools. This month is all about watersheds!
I have already visited a few schools and one thing is clear: watersheds are a big topic. Like many students at the beginning of our lesson, you may have trouble defining the term, or not know in which watershed you live. Watersheds are large drainage basins, where all the precipitation eventually comes together into a common body of water. Here at SFEG in Mount Vernon, we are in the Skagit River watershed. It’s important to remember that storm drains lead directly into nearby bodies of water as well! Everything we spill has the potential to be carried into the river and pollute it. This connectedness of the watershed as a whole means everyone has a part to play in its stewardship. Our students began learning about the salmon in the Skagit and how they can help preserve their habitat. Picking up trash, planting native plants, and sharing what you know with others are all great ways anyone can be a stream steward.
The aftermath of the rains on one watershed model.
Students concluded the lesson by creating their own unique watershed models. Science and creativity came together during this activity, which students tackled with glee. Papers crumpled enthusiastically all around the room as mountains and valleys took shape. Marker outlines of ridges and valleys predicted where water would flow and then other drawings began to populate these small worlds. Buildings of all kinds were scattered around the small landscapes, representing houses, chain restaurants, schools, amusement parks, and more. In one class, several unicorns could even be seen grazing on the paper hillsides! With everything sketched into place, all our watersheds were missing was the water. Thunderstorms poured out of spray bottles, soaking models and desks alike. Colors ran downhill and collected in little puddles, occasionally washing out or flooding a building. It was a fun way to demonstrate everything we had learned about watersheds. I love seeing everything the students come up with for their watersheds, and I am looking forward to doing it again in the next classroom.
By WSC Education Associate Emily Jankowski
Wild and Scenic Film Festival
Salmon restoration and the recovery of the Southern Residents
From the FieldKiller whales (Orcinus orca) are the largest members of the oceanic dolphin family and can be found in waters across the globe. They are incredibly social animals, travelling, hunting and playing in groups known as pods. Often times these pods are family-based, where the mother leads her offspring and their young, sharing hunting techniques and specific vocalizations.
When it comes to feeding, killer whales as a species are generalists, eating anything from fish to pinnipeds (seals) to other cetaceans (whales). Depending on the geographical location of certain populations of these whales we tend to see specialization in their diets. Known as “ecotypes,” some killer whale populations specialize in marine mammals, some on sharks, and most commonly in our area, salmon.
Killer whales are an iconic species in Washington State. Three pods known as the Southern Residents frequent the Puget Sound and people from around the world travel to the area to catch a glimpse of these whales from land and at sea. These Southern Resident whales however are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. They face many threats daily from polluted waters, boating traffic and a diminishing food supply. The majority of the Southern Residents’ diet consists of salmon, with Chinook salmon being the primary choice due to them being large fish with a high lipid (fat) content and can be found in Puget Sound year-round. These salmon however are also listed under the Endangered Species Act, making their availability a limiting factor in the recovery of the Southern Resident killer whales.
Young orca feeding on salmon
( (c) NOAA, Lynne Barre)
Southern Resident killer whales travel between British Columbia and California each year, spending the summer months feeding on salmon in Puget Sound. Chinook salmon make up about 70% of the Southern Residents’ salmonid diet and of that 70%, approximately 3-7% originates from the Skagit River.
The Skagit River is the largest river system that flows into the Puget Sound, stretching 150 miles and draining 1.7 million acres in British Columbia and Washington State. The Skagit is the only large river system in Washington that contains healthy populations of all five native salmon species and two species of trout. Restoring habitat and flow conditions within the Skagit watershed is important for increasing wild fish stocks critical to the recovery of Puget Sound’s endangered whale population.
Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group works to improve and restore habitat to support salmon populations. By helping to restore salmon populations, we also help restore killer whale populations. Help us help them by getting involved!
By WSC Education Associate KayLani Siplin
Sources:
Click to access preyselectionFord.pdf
Click to access preystudy2010.pdf
Click to access Biol.%20Lett.-2010-Ford-139-42.pdf