Killer whale populations are invading the Arctic, causing significant disruptions to an ecosystem already deeply affected by climate change. A team of McGill researchers has discovered new clues to understand how killer whales impact their environment – by reconstructing their diets using the lipids in their blubber.

“Using this analysis, we will better understand how their diets change and how they may potentially disrupt Arctic food webs,” said AnaïsRemili, a PhD candidate at McGill’s Department of Natural Resource Sciences and lead author on the study.