orcas Content

New Podcast Examines Endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales

Katherine E Kerlin — April 01, 2021 - 10:30am

Only 75 southern resident killer whales remain in the wild, and the population is looking directly at extinction if humans don’t pay immediate attention to their plight. A new podcast series, Pod of Orcas: Saving Southern Resident Killer Whales, aims to tell their story over six-weeks.

What’s Killing Killer Whales?

Katherine E Kerlin — December 02, 2020 - 11:00am

Pathology reports on more than 50 killer whales stranded over nearly a decade in the northeast Pacific and Hawaii show that orcas face a variety of mortal threats — many stemming from human interactions.

A study analyzing the reports was published today (Dec. 2) in the journal PLOS ONE. The study findings indicate that understanding and being aware of each threat is critical for managing and conserving killer whale populations. It also presents a baseline understanding of orca health.

Learning From Gorillas to Save Killer Whales

Katherine E Kerlin — November 07, 2018 - 2:45pm

In 2018, the southern resident killer whale population in the Pacific Northwest’s Salish Sea was at its lowest ever. The world watched in September as an orca named Scarlet, or J50, wasted away and died, leaving just 74 of her kind left. Some wondered if this was “What extinction looks like.”