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Success! Removal of last river dams to help threatened orcas in the US

Success! Removal of last river dams to help threatened orcas in the US

Great news has emerged from the US concerning our work to protect the endangered orca population known as the Southern Residents. The Southern Resident orcas of the Pacific Northwest is a group of just over 70 individuals, the only orca population listed as endangered in the US and, after decades of campaigning work by tribes, conservation…

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New babies bring hope for orcas on the edge of extinction

A silver lining of this strange year was the news that Tahlequah, the orca who touched hearts worldwide two years ago as she mourned the loss of her newborn calf, was pregnant again. Now we are celebrating two new babies in the population… If you are able to make a donation, it will help us…

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New baby offers hope for endangered orca community

On the morning of 30 May, off Tofino, British Columbia, Canada, an orca calf, complete with fresh foetal folds and typical orange (instead of white) patches, surfaced between two mature females from the critically endangered Southern Resident orca community. We all felt such joy when this new baby was seen swimming with two adult females…

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Canada takes steps to phase out Atlantic salmon fish farms

Atlantic salmon net pens in the Pacific Northwest are a major threat to the native wild salmon that are a vital food source for both the Northern and Southern Resident orca populations.  These net pens can spread lethal parasites and viruses to wild salmon, are a significant source of pollution, and the nets themselves can…

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Canada expands critical habitat for at-risk orca populations

Last week, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans made an expansion of critical habitat for both the Northern and Southern Resident orca populations official.  Like in the U.S., a critical habitat designation recognizes that an area with certain features is vital for the survival of an endangered species, and protects designated areas from activities that…

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New actions announced in Canada to protect Southern Resident orcas

In response to a court-ordered review of the environmental impacts of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and to a petition submitted by environmental groups in January 2018, the Canadian government has announced new measures to help protect the endangered Southern Resident orcas.  These actions are part of the $167.4 million (CAD) Whales Initiative that Canada…

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Good news and bad news in endangered Southern Resident orca population

After a heartbreaking summer for the critically endangered Southern Resident orca population, new information from the ongoing aerial photogrammetry program, a joint effort between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Vancouver Aquarium, and SR3 (Sealife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research), has raised new concerns for the community. Photographs taken with drones can show the body…

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Canadian groups announce lawsuit of government over failure to protect Southern Resident orcas

A coalition of conservation groups in Canada has filed suit against the Trudeau administration to protect the Southern Resident orcas.  The lawsuit follows a petition filed earlier this year asking the Ministers of Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to recommend an emergency order to protect the…

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