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.
‘Sticky questions’ raised by study on coral reefs
Study found coral in more polluted and high traffic water handled extreme heat events better than a more remote, untouched reef.
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.
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.
Feast and famine for juvenile salmon as they navigate BC’s complex coastal waters
Zooplankton communities are profoundly shaped by BC’s complicated coastlines, creating a mosaic of foraging conditions for the juvenile salmon that depend on them for sustenance.
IOF researchers use salmon scales to track sockeye in the high seas
Knowing where different salmon stocks forage will be essential for identifying the unique environmental threats they will face as oceans become more inhospitable due to climate change and other cumulative impacts.
STUDENT PROFILE: Natalie Benoit
Benoit’s field research is based in the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait, where she collects samples of environmental DNA – eDNA is microscopic pieces of genetic material left behind when the fish travel through water – from Pacific salmon.
STUDENT PROFILE: Ana Pozas
Focusing her research on the diets of California sea lions, Pozas enjoys working with the ‘dogs of the sea’, proving that the “ocean is not such a scary place and that there’s so much to learn still.”
Salmon diet database gives researchers a new “window into the lives of salmon”
The database fill gaps in scientists’ understanding of the late marine phase of the salmon life cycle