False Killer Whale Autopsy Report Revealed How to Help the Endangered Species

Researchers from the University of Hawaii discovered something surprising inside a fake killer whale discovered stranded dead on Maui in February 2021. According to researchers at the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Lab, the discovery of octopus remains in the animal's stomach may ultimately benefit the endangered species since the food was not historically thought to be a part of its diet.

Future studies on this species will require stable isotope analysis, contaminant analysis, and blubber inspection to determine body condition at the time of stranding. This would likely include more detail about the species' diet and predator-prey interactions and a greater understanding of the danger of toxins and nutritional tension.