Southern Resident Killer Whale Captures a Salmon (IMAGE)
Caption
The study found that post-reproductive female killer whales act as 'repositories of ecological knowledge', leading groups when they are moving together in salmon foraging grounds. Critically, the researchers discovered that leadership by menopausal females is especially prominent in difficult years when there are fewer salmon. Shortage of salmon is a major contributing factor to mortality in this population and so the benefits of older females knowing when and where to find salmon could be considerable.
Credit
David Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research
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Must credit: David Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research
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