Oregon lists Southern Resident orcas as endangered

Water pollution, vessel strikes, entanglements, and loss of their main diet staple Chinook salmon have diminished orca populations here, which are already dwindling.

One of the best ways we can help these marine mammals would be to remove dams on the Lower Snake River. This would make more Chinook salmon available for them to feast on, because they can travel upstream to spawn, but it will take time.

In the meantime, there are other resources and strategies we can implement to help these at risk orcas. Thankfully, Oregon is taking action.

Just last week, officials at the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission unanimously voted to list Southern Resident killer whales as “endangered” under the state’s Endangered Species Act, after advocacy groups, like Environment Oregon, called on them to do so. This will require state agencies to develop and implement an orca recovery plan which could assess ways to increase salmon abundance, reduce the risk of oil spills and provide rules on vessel noise and traffic.

Overall, the Commission’s ruling is a good step in the right direction towards and an important first one in recognizing the help these animals desperately need.

You can read more about last week’s decision here.