Learning how endangered orcas hunt could be the key to saving them

But exactly how orcas go about foraging for their dwindling food source has long been a mystery. Without fully appreciating what enables them to hunt effectively, scientists say we may miss opportunities for effective solutions. 

“By missing the complete picture, we fail to make important connections that can have huge implications for conservation,” says Dr. Jennifer Tennessen, a postdoctoral scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Northwest Fisheries Science Center and a research associate in the Western Washington University Biology Department.