Southern Alaska Orcas Have Diverse, Seasonal Diet

Killer whales in the region feed on a variety of salmon and groundfish species depending on location and time of year.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A new study has found that fish-eating killer whales in southern Alaska have a diverse, seasonally changing diet featuring salmon and groundfish. The types of fish consumed differ greatly across foraging hotspots in the region, with the whales switching between Chinook, chum and coho salmon as their primary prey.

Why it matters

Understanding the full breadth of the whales' diets, including the importance of groundfish species, provides a more nuanced picture of their feeding habits and the ecosystem they inhabit. This knowledge can help inform fisheries management decisions and highlight the resilience of the region's killer whale population.

The details

Researchers have been observing killer whales in Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords as part of a long-term monitoring program. By analyzing prey remains and fecal samples, they found the whales' diets included not just salmon, but also Pacific halibut, arrowtooth flounder and sablefish. The importance of these groundfish species varied across different whale pods and foraging locations.

  • The study analyzed samples collected from May to September over multiple years.
  • The long-term monitoring program was launched in 1984 by the North Gulf Oceanic Society.

The players

Hannah Myers

An assistant professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the lead author of the study.

Dan Olsen

A biologist with the North Gulf Oceanic Society and a co-author of the study.

North Gulf Oceanic Society

The organization that launched the long-term killer whale monitoring program in 1984.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Switching between these salmon species — with important contributions from groundfish — is a different narrative from the one we usually hear about the diet of fish-eating killer whales in the North Pacific, which emphasizes Chinook salmon as their primary prey.”

— Hannah Myers, Lead author of the study (Mirage News)

“DNA studies from fecal samples are exciting because they have so much more information than previous techniques. This prey diversity is important to understanding the ecosystem, and perhaps future winter samples will show even more variability when times are lean.”

— Dan Olsen, Biologist, North Gulf Oceanic Society (Mirage News)

What’s next

Researchers plan to collect additional samples, including during the winter months, to further explore the seasonal and geographic variations in the killer whales' diets.

The takeaway

This study provides a more nuanced understanding of the feeding habits of fish-eating killer whales in southern Alaska, highlighting their dietary flexibility and the importance of diverse prey species to the resilience of the regional population.