Most killer whales eat fish, but a small proportion–perhaps 10 to 17 percent–feeds primarily on marine mammals. A conservative estimate places the number of marine mammal-eating killer whales at around 170 in the Aleutian Islands waters, according to Williams and her colleagues.
How many sea otters do orcas eat?
First, Williams determines that the average orca needs to eat the equivalent of five to seven sea otters a day just to get by. Then she multiplies five to seven by 170, which is the estimated number of mammal-eating orcas living near the Aleutians.
How many killer whales would it take to eat 40000 sea otters?
What is the estimated number of killer whales in the area that eat marine mammals? If there were 400 killer whales eating otters as part of their diet, what is the average number of otters that each would have to eat, in order for 40,000 sea otters to disappear? That would be about one otter every (365/16.6) 22 days .
Do orcas kill sea otters?
With seals and sea lions in short supply in the North Pacific, killer whales are now feeding on sea otters , causing an abrupt decline in sea otter populations in western Alaska, according to researchers studying the area’s marine ecosystems.
Do killer whales hunt otters?
They will eat many marine mammals including whales, dolphins, propoises, sea otters, and pinnipeds as well as sharks and sea birds. Hunting in groups enable them to hunt animals much larger than themselves and have been known to kill blue whales.
Do orcas eat humans?
From our historical understanding of killer whales and the recorded experiences people have shared with these marine mammals, we can safely assume that killer whales do not eat people. In fact, there have been no known cases of killer whales eating a human to our knowledge.
Do orcas eat sea lions?
They primarily eat marine mammals including seals, sea lions, walruses, baleen whales, other toothed whales, and occasionally sea otters.
How many killer whales would be needed to eat 40000 sea otters if they ate nothing but sea otters?
What is the estimated number of killer whales in the area that eat marine mammals? If there were 400 killer whales eating otters as part of their diet, what is the average number of otters that each would have to eat, in order for 40,000 sea otters to disappear? That would be about one otter every (365/16.6) 22 days .
How old is an adult orca?
Males in the wild live 29 years on average, to a maximum of 50–60 years . J1, who died in 2010, was estimated to be 59 years old. A captive orca’s lifespan is typically much shorter, often by 25 years or more.
Do orcas eat moose?
PREY: The orca is at the top of the marine food web. Their diet items include fish, squid, seals, sea lions, walruses, birds, sea turtles, otters, other whales and dolphins, polar bears and reptiles. They even have been seen killing and eating swimming moose .
Do orcas eat sharks?
Orcas are the only natural predator of the great white. Scientists have found proof that they are gashing the sharks open and eating their fatty livers. ... Orcas have been observed preying on great white sharks all over the world .
Do orcas live in kelp forest?
Grey whales have also been observed in kelp forests , most likely using the forest as a safe haven from the predatory killer whale. The grey whale will eat the abundant invertebrates and crustaceans in kelp forests.
Do sea lions eat sea otters?
Other reported predators that feed on sea otters include stellar sea lions , coyotes, bears and eagles.
Do sharks eat sea otters?
“As far as we can tell, a white shark has never eaten a sea otter ,” says Tinker, a wildlife ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Ecological Research Center, with a joint appointment at the University of California, Santa Cruz. ... White sharks now kill so many otters that it threatens to hamper their recovery.
Do orcas eat salmon?
A new study has found that endangered southern resident killer whales mainly consume endangered Chinook salmon , but will broaden their diet when this species isn’t available. The researchers obtained data through prey and fecal waste collected from resident killer whales over a 13-year period.
