Join Dr. Anais Remili for an in-depth look at how molecular ecology is transforming our understanding of killer whale diets. Using lipids from blubber biopsies, researchers can now reconstruct what these top predators eat over the long term—without the need for continuous monitoring. This technique has been applied to multiple North Atlantic populations and is now being used to predict the diet of endangered Southern Resident killer whales. We will also explore how dietary preferences influence the accumulation of harmful contaminants like PCBs and other "forever chemicals," and the implications for the health of some killer whale populations.

Anaïs Remili is a postdoctoral fellow at Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada), studying ecotoxicology (contaminants and diets) in marine mammals, with a focus on killer whales. She is also the editor-in-chief of Whale Scientists, a marine mammal website by early-career researchers.