What do Southern Resident orcas eat?

Southern Resident orcas are very picky eaters—by or ca standards.
They eat fish only, and their diet is dominated by salmon, especially:

• Chinook (King) salmon← their absolute favorite
• Occasionally chum, pink, and sockeye salmon, depending on season and location

Chinook are:

• The largest salmon species
• High in fat and calories, which is perfect for big, energy-hungry orcas
• Available (or used to be) throughout much of the year in the Pacific Northwest

Southern Residents do not eat seals or other marine mammals—that’s a different orca ecotype (the “Bigg’s” or transient orcas).

This extreme specialization is also why they’re endangered:
when Chinook salmon runs decline, Southern Residents struggle to get enough food.Internet search/ Paul Clark/ A