No apparent shortage of prey for southern resident killer whales in Canadian waters during summer
Researchers reported that Chinook salmon in the Salish Sea in summertime are four to six times more abundant for southern resident killer whales than northern resident killer whales.
What do differences in animal behaviour reveal about the decline of Steller sea lions in Alaska?
More than 50 years of studying Steller sea lion behaviour has yielded one of the most complete life history descriptions for any species of marine mammal.
Guadalupe fur seals continue to recover as new colony discovered
New colony of Guadalupe fur seals discovered on El Farallón de San Ignacio Island, Gulf of California
The Killers of California and Oregon
Thirteen years of photo-identification data of killer whales observed in California and Oregon provide new insights into the distribution and population structure of mammal-eating killer whales in the eastern North Pacific Ocean.
Blue herons identified as a significant juvenile salmon predator
Looking for predators that ate salmon, an Indigenous biologist suggested looking at heron. Discarded tags proved Pacific great blue herons could be scooping up as many as 3-6% of all juvenile salmon.
Orca Quest 2020: In Search of Killer Whales
In August 2020, Marine Mammal Research Unit (MMRU) researchers set sail to determine whether there are enough chinook salmon to support southern resident killer whales in the Salish Sea.
Research into bowhead whales finds unique foraging behaviour
Understanding the needs of bowheads is a crucial first step taken to learn how they will respond to climate change.
Andrew Trites and Daniel Pauly join UBC’s Quarter Century Club, Eden Fellner joins 25 Year Club
The Quarter Century Club honours faculty who have spent 25 years at UBC. The 25 Year Club honours staff who have achieved that same milestone.
New footage gives whale’s-eye view of northern and southern resident orcas
UBC and Hakai Institute researchers have just returned from a 30-day research trip in the northern and southern waters of Vancouver Island, where they gathered stunning new aerial and underwater footage of northern and southern resident killer whales that offers an unparalleled glimpse into the underwater lives of these whales. The research is part of […]
Swimming with the pod
For the past two weeks, Marine Mammal Research Unit (MMRU) researchers led by Dr. Andrew
Trites have been studying the feeding behaviours of northern resident killer whales.