A severe problem endangering U.S. orcas is a serious decline in salmon stocks. In fact 9 species of salmon are themselves listed as endangered species. For the first time in known history, two pods from the southern community were spotted off Monterey, California foraging for salmon in January 2000. Although no one is quite sure of their range in winter, they have never been known to travel so far.
This potential change in distribution has been correlated with a decline in salmon stocks around the Orca's usual foraging grounds in Washington State. There have also been undocumented accounts of a resident orca eating a seal, which is only likely to happen under extreme famine conditions. As salmon populations decline, orcas are forced to consume more rockfish or bottomfish, which contain much higher levels of toxins.
The lack of food forces orcas to spend more time in foraging behavior and less time resting or socializing, which may in turn contribute to higher calf mortality seen in these populations.
