Southern Resident orcas could be diving towards a “bright extinction”, but we can help them.

New research published earlier this week suggests that Southern Resident orcas’ (or killer whales) rate of decline is accelerating. It described their plight as a “bright extinction” – meaning we know what needs to be done to save them, and we’re not acting fast enough. The news is alarming, as these massive marine mammals are one of the most beloved creatures in the Pacific Northwest.

Water pollution, vessel noise and traffic, and lack of their favorite food – Chinook salmon are the primary causes of their die-off. At the moment, there’s only around 75 of these creatures left, and over the years the bulk of their population has gotten older and less genetically diverse. This means as time goes on, it’ll be harder for them to make a comeback. A few months ago, the world welcomed a new calf but that celebration was short-lived after the baby disappeared, and was presumed dead. This tragedy illustrates just how hard it is for young orcas to survive, given all they’re up against.

Each problem that Southern Resident killer whales face presents a challenge and needs to be addressed. We know we need to tackle water pollution. We also need to address the issues that vessel noise and traffic cause, but the most significant thing we can do right now to help these creatures is to make wild Chinook salmon more available. One of the best ways we can do that is to breach dams along the Lower Snake River, which inhibit wild salmon’s ability to reach their historic spawning grounds. If this were done, over time, more adult salmon would make it to sea, where Southern Resident killer whales could find them more easily and eat them.

Overall, this new research sounds the alarm that drastic action needs to be taken to save our orcas. Thankfully, it looks like things are starting to happen. In the latter half of 2023, the Biden Administration took important steps towards restoring traditional salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest. We’re calling on them to continue taking actions which help Southern Resident orcas and you can join us in doing so.