A study reveals Southern Alaska’s killer whales eat diverse prey, including groundfish, challenging the belief that Chinook salmon dominate their diet.

Southern Alaska’s killer whales eat a varied diet including Chinook, chum, and coho salmon, plus groundfish like halibut and sablefish, a study finds. DNA analysis of over 400 fecal samples from 1984 to recent years shows prey use shifts by location and season, challenging the long-held view that Chinook salmon dominate their diet. Groundfish are especially important for some pods. The study highlights how earlier surface sampling underestimated non-salmon prey due to bias, and suggests the whales’ flexible feeding may boost resilience to changing fish populations. Findings could improve fisheries management by refining estimates of natural predation.