Aquagreen Marine Research

243A

2012-01-17T23:36:00.001-08:00

The rubbing actively heard at RB (rubbing beach) during the beginning of the tape (21:07) was relatively quiet with N4 calls heard later at 21:12. The N4 call was heard with the most frequency (46%) throughout the recording. Whales identified were the A5s and A30s.

Call Types - N2 (n=2), N4 (n=11), N5 (n=3), N9 (n=4), N25 (n=4) [N=24]

Link - http://orchive.cs.uvic.ca/recordings/show/11922

A New Calf in J pod!

2011-12-21T08:53:00.003-08:00

Slick / J16 was born in 1972 and gave birth to a new baby in Puget Sound on December 17th, 2011. Slick is mother to J26 / Mike, J36 / Aiki, and J42 / Echo.

Canada Should Cooperate on Climate Change

2011-12-15T21:18:00.002-08:00

If Canadian representatives at the UN climate change summit in Durban, South Africa won’t commit to the Kyoto Protocol and contribute to global efforts to stop climate change, they should go home and stop impeding progress.

SIGN PETITION

Click to tell Japan, no disaster funds for whale slaughter!

2011-12-15T21:18:00.001-08:00

Right now, the Japanese whaling fleet is hunting thousands of majestic whales -- guarded by a 30-million-dollar security force paid from disaster relief money! Meanwhile, Japanese children are stranded in radioactive areas with no funds to move away. Join the call to save kids, not whalers!

SIGN PETITION

Killer Whale Salmon Diet Limiting Fishery

2011-10-30T11:01:00.002-07:00

Experts look at killer whales salmon diet with eye on limiting the fishery

A cross-border panel will determine if the salmon fishery should be limited in order to increase chances of survival for the endangered whales. Huge chinook salmon are the most prized catch on the Pacific coast for fishermen on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, but they may soon have to share the bounty if a scientific panel links chinook and the survival of endangered southern resident killer whales. The independent, cross-border panel has recently completed the first of three workshops looking at studies connecting the abundance of chinook and the well-being of the rare killer whales. There's great interest from sport, commercial and First Nations fishermen in the recommendations because of the implications on the lucrative fishery, said panel member Andrew Trites. "Everybody is watching this very closely," said Trites, director of Marine Mammal Research at the University of B.C. Fisheries Centre.

Panel chairman Ray Hilborn said their job isn't to make a fisheries management recommendation but to evaluate the science behind an assessment that limiting the fishery will benefit the whales. The panel has about three dozen studies and reports to analyze before a decision is made at the end of 2012. Several studies have shown there's a correlation between poor survival of southern residents and low chinook abundance, Hilborn said. The professor of aquatic and fishery science at the University of Washington said both the Department of Fisheries in Canada and the Fisheries Service in the U.S. know a decision to limit the fishery will be controversial. "So if they're going to go forward with regulating these fisheries they want to be able to say, `You know it's not just our own scientists, we've had an independent panel review this stuff.'" William Stelle Jr., the regional administrator with the U.S. Department of Commerce, said in a letter issued earlier this year that if the panel recommends changes, the goal could be to implement the fisheries restrictions for the killer whale recovery plan starting as early as the 2013 salmon fishing season. Studies show that up to 90 per cent of the summer diet for the 88 southern killer whales is made of the large and fatty chinook and that a large percentage of those are returning to British Columbia's Fraser River.

Experts estimate adult orcas need up to about 290,000 calories a day. That's 10 to 34 salmon a day, depending on the size and species, or over 800,000 salmon a year. Lynne Barre, a marine biologist with the fisheries service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Washington state, said it's too soon to determine if limits would be placed on fisheries in order to protect the whales. "This is an impact we're considering," she said. "We haven't identified how or in what way a fishery would be changed in order to accommodate a need for the whales. We haven't gotten to that point." Barre, who leads the Orca recovery program in the United States, said the effort is part of an action plan to restore Washington state's Puget Sound by 2020. Plans are also in the works to keep the whales from oil spills and reduce contaminants. There's even a proposal to start tracking a whale with a satellite to see where the three pods winter. New regulations implemented this year in American waters limit the possibility of whale-vessel impacts. Limits were doubled to keep ships away from whales from 90 to 180 metres. Canadian no-go zones have been set at 100 metres. Barre said one of the most exciting proposals is an application by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to apply a small satellite tracking tag to one of the whales. Researchers are hoping the device can solve one of the biggest mysteries about where the whales travel in the winter. "It would increase our data with one deployment, to help us see how far off shore they're going, if they're staying in localized areas for extended times or if they're just transiting to and from feeding hot spots," she said. There are two different groups of resident whales off the B.C., Washington state coasts. The northern residents, which spend most of their known time in the waters off British Columbia, and the southern residents which split their time between Canadian and U.S. waters. The northern residents, with a population of about 200 whales, are similar to southern residents and have the same diet.

There are also about 500 other killer whales off the Pacific coast divided into transient and offshore groups that have a diet of mammals or sharks. Barre said helping the southern residents survive and thrive has been difficult. "It's definitely challenging because it is a trans-boundry issue because it covers a number of different types of threats, the prey, the contaminants and pollution and then vessel impact and sound." The population of the whale dipped dangerously low in the 1990s and while Barre said experts don't think it had anything to do with oil spills, they're working on a plan to keep the mammals away from potential harm. "We can use sounds, we can use these banging pipes, we can use a helicopter from the air to sort of encourage them to go in a certain direction. There's also these little underwater explosives that are generally used to keep seals and sea lions away." She said there's been plenty of concern this month about how to heard whales after several killer whales were spotted going up an Alaskan river. Three of them, including a pregnant whale, died.

Canadian Press

Griffin Photography

2011-10-16T10:29:00.001-07:00

New Website!

2011-09-27T23:04:00.004-07:00

rachaelgriffin.com

Bans on Shark Fin Sales

2011-09-12T14:34:00.002-07:00

The last 12 months have seen a flurry of laws, regulations and industry actions to end the international trade in the age-old delicacy, including bans on shark fin sales in Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and parts of Canada. Last week, the California Senate also voted to ban the sale or possession of shark fins — a billion-dollar global trade that has led to the brutal deaths of tens of millions of sharks a year and resulted in many open-ocean shark species being threatened with extinction. The Bahamas and Honduras have prohibited shark fishing in the last two years.

NYT Environment

Endangered Right Whales Produce Louder Calls in Noisier Environments

2011-09-05T09:16:00.001-07:00

Anthropogenic noise has been studied not only in terrestrial habitats, but also in aquatic environments, where it can disrupt communication of a number of organisms, including fish, crustaceans, dolphins, and whales. A recent study by collaborators at Penn State University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Duke University has demonstrated, for the first time, that individual North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) adjust the amplitude of their calls in response to ambient noise levels.

Science 2.0

2011-09-02T20:16:00.006-07:00

2011-09-02T20:16:00.005-07:00

246B

2011-09-02T20:08:00.002-07:00

Year - 2004
Tape - 246B
Date - Friday, Aug06
Time - 06:39
Annotations - 174
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15
Comments - Faint calls at beginning, boat noise increases. A30, A12, A36, and I15s, travel east in Johnston Strait, A1 and A5 calls. Echolocation and good calls at 06:57.
Link - http://orchive.cs.uvic.ca/recordings/show/11929

Vocal Behaviour and Feeding Ecology of Killer Whales Orcinus orca around Shetland, UK

2011-08-19T23:05:00.004-07:00

Volker B. Deecke, Milaja Nykänen, Andrew D. Foote, Vincent M. Janik

ABSTRACT: Killer whales Orcinus orca are sighted regularly off Shetland, UK, but little is known about their numbers, diet and population identity. We aimed to relate vocal behaviour to diet of killer whales around Shetland in order to investigate population structure and differences in feeding strategies. Fieldwork was conducted in the summers of 2008 and 2009. We located killer whales through a sightings network and shore-based scans and collected photo-ID data, behavioural information, feeding data and acoustic recordings from a small boat. The majority of encounters (n = 14) were of small groups (1 to 15 individuals) travelling close to shore and feeding on marine mammals. Two encounters were with large groups (20+ individuals) feeding on herring Clupea harengus farther offshore. Seal-hunting groups vocalised rarely, producing pulsed calls, echolocation clicks and whistles almost exclusively when surface-active or milling after a kill. Herring-eating groups were largely silent during one encounter, but very vocal during the other. Analysis of pulsed calls identified 6 stereotyped call types for seal-hunting groups and 7 for herring-eating groups. No call types were shared between both kinds of groups. The vocal behaviour of seal-hunting groups showed striking parallels to that of Pacific marine mammal specialists and presumably evolved to decrease detection by acoustically sensitive prey. One call type produced by Shetland herring-eating killer whales matched a vocalisation that a previous study had described from Iceland and identified as a possible herding call that may function to concentrate herring during feeding. These findings point to behavioural and dietary specialisation among Shetland killer whales, which should be taken into account when making management decisions affecting these animals.

Aquatic Biology 13:79-88 (2011)

246A

2011-08-01T21:31:00.005-07:00

Year - 2004
Tape - 246A
Date - Aug06
Time - 05:51
Annotations - 249
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15
Comments - Lots of nice calls at the beginning, A30s at Cracroft Point.
Link - http://orchive.cs.uvic.ca/recordings/show/11928

IWC

2011-07-14T15:20:00.004-07:00

In previous years, IWC annual fees would be paid by cash to the Secretariat in exchange for the right to vote. The source of the funds were suspected to be from Japan resulting in new votes in favor of whaling. From now on payment of IWC dues will be paid though bank transfer only.

Link - http://orcalab.org/blog
BBC

Vote on Fish Farms

2011-07-14T10:08:00.002-07:00

An application to site a new open net-cage salmon farm in the waters of Clayoquot Sound, in the heart of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is being assessed by government regulators. Use the form below to send a message loud and clear; Say no way to uncontained salmon farming in B.C. Government must deny this application and put in place a moratorium to halt any new net-cage salmon farms in the province.

VOTE

Orcalab's IWC Blog

2011-07-12T09:48:00.002-07:00

International Whaling Commission (IWC) Meetings 2011

K44 - new SRKW calf

2011-07-08T22:05:00.003-07:00

K27's new male calf K44 was spotted off San Juan Island on July 7, newest member to the Southern Resident endangered killer whale community.

Orca Network

BBC Human Planet

2011-06-28T21:02:00.007-07:00

Oceans

(1/4)

(2/4)

(3/4)

(4/4)

Rivers

(1/4)

(2/4)

(3/4)

(4/4)

Orchive - 245B

2011-06-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

Year - 2004
Tape - 245B
Date - Aug06
Time - 05:04
Annotations - 9
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15
Comments - Echolocation, faint calls, A36s, I15s, calls at end of tape from Cracroft Point.
Link - http://orchive.cs.uvic.ca/recordings/show/11927

Transient Killer Whale Whistle Communication

2011-06-21T10:52:00.002-07:00

ABSTRACT

Public signaling plays an important role in territorial and sexual displays in animals; however, in certain situations, it is advantageous to keep signaling private to prevent eavesdropping by unintended receivers. In the northeastern Pacific, two populations of killer whales (Orcinus orca), fish-eating “resident” killer whales and mammal-eating “transient” killer whales, share the same habitat. Previous studies have shown that residents use whistles as private signals during close-range communication, where they probably serve to coordinate behavioral interactions. Here, we investigated the whistling behavior of mammal-eating killer whales, and, based on divergent social structures and social behaviors between residents and transients, we predicted to find differences in both whistle usage and whistle parameters. Our results show that, like resident killer whales, transients produce both variable and stereotyped whistles. However, clear differences in whistle parameters between ecotypes show that the whistle repertoire of mammal-eating killer whales is clearly distinct from and less complex than that of fish-eating killer whales. Furthermore, mammal-eating killer whales only produce whistles during “milling after kill” and “surface-active” behaviors, but are almost completely silent during all other activities. Nonetheless, whistles of transient killer whales may still serve a role similar to that of resident killer whales. Mammal-eating killer whales seem to be under strong selection to keep their communication private from potential prey (whose hearing ranges overlap with that of killer whales), and they appear to accomplish this mainly by restricting vocal activity rather than by changes in whistle parameters.

Riesch, Rüdiger and Deecke, Volker B. 2011. Whistle communication in mammal-eating killer whales (Orcinus orca): further evidence for acoustic divergence between ecotypes. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 65:1377–1387.

Snorkeling

2011-06-21T02:36:00.003-07:00

Happy Oceans Day!

2011-06-08T12:20:00.002-07:00

Gooseneck Barnacles, Pollicipes ploymerus

Aggregate Anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima

ATLANTIC BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS USE DUAL-COMPONENT BIOSONAR FOR ECHOLOCATION

2011-05-26T23:36:00.003-07:00

Auditory evoked potential (AEP) responses were recorded during echolocation in an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) trained to accept suction-cup EEG electrodes and detect targets by echolocation. AEP recording was triggered by the echolocation clicks of the animal. Three targets with target strengths of –34, –28 and 22dB were used at a target distance of 2 to 6.5m for each target. The results demonstrated that the AEP appeared to both outgoing echolocation clicks and echoes during echolocation, with AEP complexes consisting of alternative positive and negative waves. The echo-related AEP amplitudes were obviously lower than the outgoing click-related AEP amplitudes for all the targets at the investigated target distances. However, for targets with target strengths of –22 and –28dB, the peak-to-peak amplitudes of the echo related AEPs were dependent on the target distances. The echo-related AEP response amplitudes increased at further target distances, demonstrating an overcompensation of echo attenuation with target distance in the echo-perception system of the dolphin biosonar. Measurement and analysis of outgoing click intensities showed that the click levels increased with target distance (R) by a factor of approximately 10 to 17.5logR depending on target strength. The results demonstrated that a dual-component biosonar control system formed by intensity compensation behavior in both the transmission and receiving phases of a biosonar cycle exists synchronously in the dolphin biosonar system.

JEB - http://jeb.biologists.org/content/214/12/iii.full

NOAA Issues Final Killer Whale Vessel Regulations

2011-04-09T21:13:00.001-07:00

New regulations to protect killer whales in inland waters of Washington State from the effects of various vessel activities.

1. vessels must not approach any killer whale within 200 yards
2. vessels must stay out of the path of oncoming whales out to 400 yards.

Website for more information on the vessel regulations.

Orchive - 239B

2011-03-11T21:41:00.001-08:00

Year - 2004
Tape - 239B
Date - Aug05
Time - 15:25
Annotations - 68
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15
Comments - Lots of rubbing and few calls to start then strong calls at 15:47.
Link - http://orchive.cs.uvic.ca/recordings/show/11915

J pod

2011-03-08T09:08:00.002-08:00

Orchive - 237B

2011-03-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

Year - 2004
Tape - 237B
Date - Aug05
Time - 11:29
Annotations - 147
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15
Comments - Lots of boat noise at the beginning of the tape, drops off 1/4 way through with some nice calls around 11:30 then boat noise picks up again at 11:40, loud close calls annotated (orca!).
Link - http://orchive.cs.uvic.ca/recordings/show/11911

Killer Whale Exhause Exposure

2011-03-07T10:53:00.003-08:00

Cara L. Lachmuth, Lance G. Barrett-Lennard, D.Q. Steyn, William K. Milsom (2011) Estimation of southern resident killer whale exposure to exhaust emissions from whale watching vessels and potential adverse health effects and toxicity thresholds. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 28 January 2011.

Southern resident killer whales in British Columbia and Washington are exposed to heavy vessel traffic. This study investigates their exposure to exhaust gases from whale-watching vessels by using a simple dispersion model incorporating data on whale and vessel behavior, atmospheric conditions, and output of airborne pollutants from the whale-watching fleet based on emissions data from regulatory agencies. Our findings suggest that current whale-watching guidelines are usually effective in limiting pollutant exposure to levels at or just below those at which measurable adverse health effects would be expected in killer whales. However, safe pollutant levels are exceeded under worst-case conditions and certain average- case conditions. To reduce killer whale exposure to exhaust we recommend: vessels position on the downwind side of whales, a maximum of 20 whale-watching vessels should be within 800 m at any given time, viewing periods should be limited, and current whale-watch guidelines and laws should be enforced.

J1/Ruffles Missing

2011-02-22T11:25:00.004-08:00

The 60 year old killer whale Ruffles/J1 was last seen on Novermber 21st, 2010. He would travel with Granny/J2 (100 years old) who has been seen several times since without Ruffles. Male longevity, typically is less than females, averaging about 29 years, some live well into their 40s and up 50-60 years of age. The average lifespan for females is about 50 years, however some may reach 80-90 years of age (Ford et. al. 2000).

King5

Ford, K.B., Ellis, G.M., Balcomb, K.C. (2000) Killer Whales: The natural History and genealogy of Orcinus orca in British Columbia and Washington. UBC Press p.22

Orchive Logs

2011-02-15T12:11:00.004-08:00

Digital logs to document progress on the Orchive Project.

Parks Photography

2011-02-08T12:57:00.003-08:00

Photos

Slideshow

Offshore Killer Whales eating Sleeper Sharks

2011-02-08T12:51:00.001-08:00

John Ford and colleagues were observing the whales, they noticed them engaging in feeding behaviour. Immediately following this they discovered chunks of pink meat on the water’s surface which upon genetic analysis turned out to be the meat of at least 16 different Pacific sleeper sharks (Somniosus pacificus).

Link

Social-10

2011-01-06T22:05:00.004-08:00

The Social-10 objective is to estimate the risk and minimize the impact of human sound and military sonar. It includes suction-cup tagging, listening, and tracking of whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions. Preliminary findings show marine mammal response varied by species, behaviour, and sound type. For example, beaked whales were more responsive than other species, like pilot whales.

Sonar's Effects on Marine Mammals - Brandon Southall

Institute of Marine Sciences - UC Santa Cruz

SRKW Population

2010-12-09T16:45:00.003-08:00

L54 and L108

L5 has a new calf L117, increasing the L pod population to 42 individuals.

L pod - 42
K pod - 20
J pod - 28

Making a total of 90 killer whales endangered in this community.

CWR

Humpback Comeback Project

2010-11-26T00:02:00.002-08:00

VOTE Now!

Steller Sea Lion Managment Plan

2010-10-06T10:21:00.002-07:00

There are two populations of Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus) that live in the north Pacific; the Eastern and the Western populations. The animals living in Canada are part of the Eastern population extending from southern California to southeastern Alaska. The Eastern population has grown in the past few years, contrary to the Western population. The Eastern population is listed as of special concern by the Species at Risk Act (SARA) and therefore a management plan has been proposed. A species of special concern could become threatened or endangered.

Paper - Proposed Management Plan for the Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) in Canada

Sleeper Sharks and Sea Otter Decline

2010-10-05T20:41:00.005-07:00

Sea otter - Hotsprings Cove, Tofino BC

Sea otters off the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, have decreased drastically over the past 15 years. Transient killer whales have been suggested as a cause but sea otters are relatively low in energy reserves versus other marine mammals due to their thin blubber layer. Otters have a very thick fur layer with a million hairs per square inch to keep them warm. Their pelts is why they became extinct off the British Columbia coast during the fur trade and decimated in the Pacific. Sleeper sharks have concurrently increased in population and need to be further investigated as a cause of the sea otter decline. The change in abundance of sea otters is cause for concern as they are a top predator in the kelp forest. Sea otters feed on urchins allowing for the kelp bed to grow. The forest provides protection and is a nursery for many species of fish and invertebrates. Disease and high contaminant levels have not been ruled out as a significant contributor to the sea otter decline.

Paper - A re-evaluation of the role of killer whales Orcinus orca in a population decline of sea otters Enhydra lutris in the Aleutian Islands and a review of alternative hypotheses

SRKW Missing Orcas 2010

2010-08-22T12:54:00.002-07:00

Missing and presumed dead are:

- L114, new calf born to L77 in February 2010, missing when the whales returned in June.

- L73/Flash, a male born in 1986, missing summer 2010.

- L74/Saanich, a male also born in 1986, missing summer 2010.

- K11/Georgia, a female estimated to be born in 1933, last observed in May 2010.

This brings the population of the Southern Resident orca community to about 87 individuals. J pod has 28 members; K pod has 19; and L pod has 40, including (approximately):
~9 post-reproductive females (over 40 years old)
~25 adult females (12-40 years old)
~19 mature or adolescent males (over 12 years old)
~21 juveniles (5-12 years old)
~13 calves (0-4 years old)

Greenland Defies IWC Rules

2010-08-17T21:02:00.003-07:00

Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society: Greenland Defies IWC Rules by Authorizing Humpback Whaling before Hunt is Legal

Greenland obtained approval from the IWC last June to start a hunt of nine humpback whales a year but, despite acknowledging in a letter to the Commission that to begin the hunt before the mid-October deadline would be a violation of IWC regulations, it seems that the Greenland’s government has given way to hunters who want to start the killing much sooner. Greenland first sought a quota of humpback whales in 2007, arguing that its existing quota of fin and minke whales was inadequate to meet its subsistence needs. For three consecutive years, Greenland’s proposal failed, amid concerns about high levels of commercialization of whale meat intended to meet subsistence needs, and the government’s refusal to document who actually needs to eat whale meat for subsistence in Greenland. This will be the first humpback hunt in Greenlandic waters since 1986, after the quota was finally awarded in June in a controversial compromise in which Greenland gave up part of its fin and minke whale quota that it never used anyway.

full article

Oak Bay Gray Whale

2010-07-14T23:58:00.003-07:00

ID - white patch left side

Times Colonist

Salmonids

2010-05-22T22:01:00.011-07:00

There are five species of Pacific salmon that die after spawning; Chinook, Chum, Coho, Sockeye, and Pink. Salmon return to their natal streams and rivers each year. Salmon travel thousands of miles and spend one to five years feeding in the ocean before returning to their birth streams. Spawning females dig out a gravel nests, called a redd. The males then fertilizes the eggs and the female protects the redd for one to two weeks. Alveins hatch and mature into fry, developing vertical bars for camouflage, called parr marks. After a period of feeding fry migrate downstream towards the ocean and grow into smolts adapting to their marine environment.

Chinook
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Spring, Salmon, King, Blackmouth,
Quinnat, Chub, Tyee (14+kg)
Chinooks have a greenish-blue dark back with
long black spots, a red hue develops around
the fins and belly, male teeth are enlarged and
they have a hooked snout. Tyee reach 1.5 m
and 58 kg, average 90 cm and14 kg. Spawning
peak May to June and August to September.

Chum
O. keta
Dog Salmon
Females are a metallic
blue, males have a
checkerboard colouration,
a dark horizontal stripe, and
canine-like teeth. Average
from 4.5 to 12 kg. Spawning
peak month October.

Coho
O. kisutch
Silver Salmon
Spawning males are red on
their sides, and a bright green
on the back and head areas, with a
darker colouration on the belly, spots
on upper tail fin lobe. They also develop
a hooked jaw with sharp teeth. Females
develop a lesser-hooked snout. Coho
reach 1 m and weigh up to 14 kg, they
average between 3 to kg. Spawning
peak July to August.

Sockeye
O. nerka
Kokanee, Red Salmon,
Blueback Salmon
Varying shades of red resulting
in a brilliant scarlet fish with a
green head. Grow to 83 cm
and weigh up to 7 kg. Spawning
peak month August.

Pink
O. gorbuscha
Humpies
Pale grey, males
develop a hump.
Get up to 76 cm
and to 5.5 kg,
average 1.5 to 2.5 kg.
Spawning peak month
October.

Threats
On top of natural dangers from predators dangers to salmon from human activities include poor farming and forest practices, pollution, destruction of coastal wetlands and estuaries. The territory of British Columbia salmon has been decimated for decades by industrial clearcut logging. Roots of trees anchor steep slopes. Logging increases the chances of landslides filling vital spawning grounds with mud, debris, and boulders. Shade from trees is lost increasing water temperatures. Other threats include overfishing, urbanization, hydroelectric dams, and fish farms.

Actions
Salmon play an important role sustaining forest ecology. Spawners bring vital nutrients from the ocean into the forest. Carcasses are dispersed by bears and eagles providing the trees with fertilizer; nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon. Salmon feed the rivers helping the survival of young salmon. Farmed salmon does not replicate this vital role and is detrimental to wild stocks. Dangers from fish farms include disease, pollution (including contaminating shellfish), predation on young wild salmon, and escapement (Atlantic salmon compete for food and habitat with wild stocks). Conservation actions include cleaning up salmon streams (ensuring clean and safe flowing environments), recycling, using biodegradable/organic products, and choosing wild salmon over farmed.

Rally for Wild Salmon

2010-05-04T21:06:00.001-07:00

Parliament Buildings, May 8th @ 4pm

Threats:

Sea Lice - Salmon aquaculture is prohibited in Alaska for economic and environmental reasons. Built along the shoreline, farmed salmon are particularly susceptible to diseases and parasites, such as sea lice, that can be lethal to fish. Sea lice, viruses and other pathogens have contaminated wild salmon stocks swimming nearby, many young wild salmon become infected and do not survive as a result.

Escapes - Atlantic salmon are an aggressive species that are not indigenous to the Pacific Northwest. Atlantic salmon have been found in dozens of rivers and lakes throughout British Columbia and Alaska. There is only one species of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) on the east coast whereas there are several species of salmon on the west coast. Atlantic salmon are strong competitors and have historically wiped out other east coast salmon pieces.

PCBs - Farmed fish is fattier and therefore can store more PCBs and other contaminants at levels of up to 10 times higher in farmed salmon. Polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs are mixtures of up to 209 individual chlorinated compounds. There are no known natural sources of PCBs, they are either oily liquids or solids, that have been used as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors, and other electrical equipment because they don't burn easily and are good insulators. The manufacture of PCBs was stopped in the U.S. in 1977 because of evidence that they build up in the environment (bioaccumulation; concentration increase at each tropic level) and can cause serious health effects. PCBs persist in the environment, fish absorb them from contaminated sediments and their food. Government regulations allow much higher levels of these contaminants in farmed salmon than are allowed in wild salmon.

Oil spill in Gulf Proves the Need for an Oil Free Coast in British Columbia

2010-05-04T09:45:00.001-07:00

BC First Nations and environmental groups are calling on the federal government to implement a permanent ban on oil and gas development and tanker traffic on the North Coast of British Columbia, in light of the failed attempts to clean up the oil that is spewing from a sunken rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The Living Oceans Society, with an office in Vancouver, in a statement released on April 29, commented on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and how it may impact BC oil exploration. Despite having the required safety mechanism on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, an explosion occurred, the technology to stop the oil from spilling in to the ocean failed, and the weather delayed the clean up efforts. “Over 30 years ago the federal and provincial governments prohibited oil and gas development and oil tankers on this coast because they knew that the threat of an oil spill was too great, a clean up too hard, and our ocean too valuable.” says Jennifer Lash. Executive Director of Living Oceans Society. “Now the Enbridge Gateway project is threatening to bring over 225 oil tankers onto our coast every year putting at risk our whales, birds, fish, bears, and coastline.” In March 2010, 10 First Nations from the North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii banned oil tankers from their traditional territories. “The First Nations governments have taken action to protect the ocean that supports our communities,” says Art Sterritt, Executive Director of the Coastal First Nations. “Now we would like to see the same leadership from the federal government.” The groups are pointing to the challenges of cleaning up the spill in the Gulf of Mexico as a grim reminder that failed technology and bad weather can make the impossible even harder. “They thought they could contain the spill off the coast of Louisiana but every day they appear to be having more challenges,” says Nikki Skuce, Senior Energy Campaigner of Forest Ethics. “Apparently oil rigs are ‘considerably safer for the environment than tankers’ – which isn’t much reassurance as we’re asked to risk our coast for Enbridge’s profits. An oil spill on our North Coast would be an imaginable tragedy.” Metro Vancouver is also not immune to oil spills. In 2007, a major oil spill forced residents of a Burnaby neighbourhood from about 50 homes, and raised serious environmental concerns. In 2009, a cruise ship admitted responsibility for an oil spill on the waters of Vancouver harbour near Canada Place.

Link

Whales Under Threat!

2010-04-27T21:46:00.003-07:00

The International Whaling Commission has just unveiled a proposal to legalize commercial whale hunting for the first time in 24 years. Now, countries are deciding whether to support it -- or push back. Already, New Zealand's Foreign Minister has described some provisions as "unacceptable," "inflammatory," and "offensive." A massive global outcry is needed now, as other key countries choose how to react. Avaaz will deliver this petition to the Commission delegates each time it adds another 100,000 signatures -- sign below and spread the word!

Sign Petition

I15's Rubbing and Calling

2010-04-13T23:20:00.005-07:00

Click and scroll to - (07:23am - 07:24am)

NRKW Calls - N25, N23i

Changing Durations of Southern Resident Killer Whale Discrete Calls

2010-03-25T11:06:00.002-07:00

The increase of mean durations of discrete calls demonstrated here indicates that the Southern Residents are making a behavioral adjustment as a result of vessel noise. Because they are adjusting their vocal behavior, we must consider the very real possibility that engine noise is hindering their ability to communicate, and may well impact their efficiency at using acoustics to forage and navigate, as well. The results presented here underscore the importance of future research concerning the impact of vessel noise on Southern Resident killer whales and should be considered in the development of new conservation and management plans.

Click - Paper

Fraser River Chinook Salmon Main SRKW Prey Species

2010-03-17T23:32:00.001-07:00

Species and stock identification of prey consumed by endangered southern resident killer whales in their summer range

ABSTRACT: Recovery plans for endangered southern resident killer whales Orcinus orca have identified reduced prey availability as a risk to the population. In order to better assess this risk, we studied prey selection from 2004 to 2008 in 2 regions of the whales’ summer range: San Juan Islands, Washington and the western Strait of Juan de Fuca, British Columbia. Following the whales in a small boat, we collected fish scales and tissue remains from predation events, and feces, using a fine mesh net. Visual fish scale analysis and molecular genetic methods were used to identify the species consumed. Chinook salmon, a relatively rare species, was by far the most frequent prey item, confirming previous studies. For Chinook salmon prey, we used genetic identification methods to estimate the spawning region of origin. Of the Chinook salmon sampled, 80 to 90% were inferred to have originated from the Fraser River, and only 6 to 14% were inferred to have originated from Puget Sound area rivers. Within the Fraser River, the Upper Fraser, Middle Fraser, South Thompson River and Lower Fraser stocks were inferred to currently be sequentially important sources of Chinook salmon prey through the summer. This information will be of significant value in guiding management actions to recover the southern resident killer whale population.

*Email: brad.hanson@noaa.gov

Orchive Tapes 232B-235B

2010-03-09T20:12:00.000-08:00

232B - Aug 04, 2004 15:57, 95 - Annotations
Faint calls, boat noise.
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15

233A - Aug 04, 2004 16:44, 12 - Annotations
Lots of boat noise, faint calls, nice clear calls towards end of tape.
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15

233B - Aug 04, 2004 17:31, 32 - Annotations
Some boat noise, faint calls, echolocation.
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15

234A - Aug 04, 2004 18:19, 35 - Annotations
Boat noise, faint calls.
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15

234B - Aug 04, 2004 19:06, 65 - Annotations
Heavy rain, boat noise, few calls.
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15

235A - Aug 04, 2004 19:54, 18 - Annotations
Loud ambient noise, very faint calls, dolphins.
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15

235B - Aug 05, 2004 04:11, 81 - Annotations
Quiet ambient noise, dolphins at start, nice I15's calls.
Whales - A30,A12,A36,A11,A35,A73,A24,A4 2,A43,A25,I15

A23 matriline at rubbing beach

2010-02-28T11:19:00.001-08:00

232A

2010-02-25T23:24:00.001-08:00

232A - Aug 04, 2004 15:10, 48 - Annotations
Lots of boat noise, few faint calls, echolocation.
Whales - A30 A12 A36 A11 A35 A73 A24 A4 2 A43 A25 I15

Orchive Logs - 2004 (230-231)

2010-02-24T22:05:00.001-08:00

Tape Date Annotations
2004 230A Aug0404 06:49 76 - good calls
2004 230B Aug0404 07:42 29 - orcas rubbing
2004 231A Aug0404 13:38 196 - orcas rubbing
2004 231B Aug0404 14:22 32 - calls and echolocation

ORCHIVE

2010-02-18T11:51:00.005-08:00

There are a total of 14862 recordings, each of which is 45 minutes long for a total of 668790 minutes of audio. If you listened for 8 hours per day, it would take you 3.8 years to listen to all the recordings.

ORCHIVE

Luna Files

2010-01-27T14:00:00.001-08:00

First recordings of Luna, discovering him making southern resident killer whale discrete calls in Nootka Sound, British Columbia 2003. (see report)

New Calf J47

2010-01-05T17:50:00.002-08:00

J35's new calf J47 was encountered in Puget sound by NOAA on January 3rd. This is the first calf born this year to the southern residents, a positive new year sign for this endangered population of killer whales.

pink baby

baby pusing

CWR

Dolphins should be treated as 'non-human' persons

2010-01-04T15:04:00.002-08:00

Dolphins have long been recognised as among the most intelligent of animals but many researchers had placed them below chimps, which some studies have found can reach the intelligence levels of three-year-old children. Recently, however, a series of behavioural studies has suggested that dolphins, especially species such as the bottlenose, could be the brighter of the two. The studies show how dolphins have distinct personalities, a strong sense of self and can think about the future.

Times

Earthquake Kills Sperm Whales

2009-12-14T23:28:00.003-08:00

An earthquake in the Ionian Sea occurred on Nov 3 and possibly ruptured the sinuses of a pod of sperm whales. These air sacs are necessary for echolocation and therefore the animals could not dive, feed, or navigate causing them to become disorientated and wind up in the Adriatic Sea. As a result the family group, of seven sperm whales, became too weak and were washed ashore between December 10th and 11th on the coast of Italy in the Southern Adriatic Sea. Mass strandings of sperm whales are extremely rare in the Mediterranean, and limited to ancient times. These include a stranding of 16 near Sicily in 1734, and a stranding of six occurred in the northern Adriatic Sea in 1853.

BBC

Photos

Film

Cascadia Research 2009

2009-12-10T11:54:00.002-08:00

Killer Whale Field Projects

NZ KW

2009-12-03T19:12:00.002-08:00

- Courious killer whale investigate snorkelers.

- Killer whales understand the behavioural consequences of sharks.

A Star is Born!

2009-11-15T17:35:00.001-08:00

polaris

Southern resident killer whale Star/J46 was born to 16 year old Polaris/J28 on November 11th. Five babies have been born to this population this year L112, L113, J45, J44, and J46 with zero losses, good news for this Endangered species of now 87 members. Gestation takes 17 months and calves are often born in the fall and winter due to a spring and summer mating season. A firstborn calf can be stillborn due to the toxic offload of PCBs and fire retardants from their mothers, succinct offspring have a better chance at survival. Polaris' mother J17 has the newborn J45 and will assist in the raising of Star.

Polaris J28 female b.1977

cwr
5 calves
tc

New killer whale photo-ID catalog

2009-11-02T10:54:00.001-08:00

It is the first photo-identification catalog of tropical pelagic killer whales. 195 individual killer were identified in the eastern tropical Pacific between 1986 and 2006. The catalog yields information on the geographic movement and external morphology of this little known population of killer whales.

Catalog Link

Shell offshore oil drilling in the Arctic

2009-10-20T19:43:00.001-07:00

Conservation groups based in Alaska have accused the Obama administration of repeating the mistakes of George Bush after it gave the conditional go-ahead for Shell to begin drilling offshore for oil and natural gas in the environmentally sensitive Beaufort Sea.

Offshore Killer Whale Consultations

2009-10-09T14:18:00.002-07:00

In April 2009, COSEWIC re-assessed the status of the Offshore Killer Whale, changing it from special concern to threatened; it will now enter the legal listing process for potentially changing its status under SARA. At this stage, it is important for the public to learn more about the species being considered for re-listing, and to provide input before a decision is finalized.

Survey

Offshores

A12 & A36 Boys

2009-10-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

Proposed Offshore Killer Whale Management Plan

2009-09-10T13:31:00.001-07:00

The offshore killer whale is a marine mammal and is under the responsibility of the federal government. The Species at Risk Act (SARA, Section 65) requires the competent minister to prepare management plans for species listed as special concern. The offshore killer whale was listed as a species of special concern under SARA in 2003. The development of this management plan was led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Pacific Region, in cooperation and consultation with many individuals, organizations and government agencies, as indicated below. The plan meets SARA requirements in terms of content and process (SARA sections 65-68). Success in the conservation of this species depends on the commitment and cooperation of many different constituencies that will be involved in implementing the directions set out in this plan and will not be achieved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada or any other party alone. This plan provides advice to jurisdictions and organizations that may be involved or wish to become involved in activities to conserve this species. In the spirit of the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans invites all responsible jurisdictions and Canadians to join Fisheries and Oceans Canada in supporting and implementing this plan for the benefit of the offshore killer whale and Canadian society as a whole. The Minister will report on progress within five years.

Link - Offshore Recovery Plan

Bere Point Eagles

2009-09-01T10:18:00.005-07:00

The bald eagle historically ranged throughout North America and are now only found in Alaska, Canada, Florida, and the Northwest America. The bald eagle mates for life and breeds in old growth forests. During the winter these animals disperse inland to forage in rivers upon salmon. The Bald Eagle has a maximum 8-foot wingspan. Bald eagles are piebald animals, lacking pigment, resulting in a white head and tail feathers. Their beak, feet, and irises are yellow, legs are not feathered and they have short powerful toes with long talons. The front 2-hold their prey and the 3rd hind toe has the largest talon used for piercing. The body of the bald eagle is black and juveniles are brown, mottled with white.

Threats to the eagle include noise pollution, industrial contaminates (decreasing egg shell thickness), decreased food availability, and habitat destruction. Encroaching civilization decreases these bird populations. Land development and logging also threaten the survival of salmon streams, a major food source for both birds and humans. Maintaining healthy green spaces near coastal habitats can protect these species. Using organic, biodegradable products, recycling, and decreasing our carbon footprint can all decease pollutants, thereby producing a cleaner, healthier, and more productive environment.

the gods

BC Summer Resident Humpbacks

2009-08-10T14:22:00.004-07:00

Cascadia Research SPLASH program photo-identification of BC summer resident humback whales.

mother

calf

Proposed Vessel Regulations for Killer Whales

2009-08-04T11:06:00.003-07:00

As part of the recovery program for endangered Southern Resident killer whales, NOAA Fisheries Service is proposing new rules for vessel traffic aimed at further protecting the whales in navigable waters of Washington State. The proposed rules would prohibit vessels from approaching any killer whale closer than 200 yards and forbid vessels from intercepting or parking in the path of a whale. In addition, the proposed regulations would set up a half-mile-wide no-go zone along the west side of San Juan Island from May 1 through the end of September, where generally no vessels would be allowed. There would be exemptions to the rules for some vessels, including those actively fishing commercially, cargo vessels traveling in established shipping lanes, and government and research vessels. The no-go zone would also have exemptions for treaty Indian fishing vessels, and limited exceptions for land owners accessing private property adjacent to it. The news release, proposed rule, draft environmental assessment, and other supporting documents are available, along with instructions for submitting comments. There is a 90 day public comment period and we will hold public hearings Sept. 30 in Seattle, and Oct. 5 in Friday Harbor to provide additional information on the proposed rule. Thank you for your interest.

Sonar-induced temporary hearing loss in dolphins

2009-07-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

T. Aran Mooney, Paul E. Nachtigall1, and Stephanie Vlachos

There is increasing concern that human-produced ocean noise is adversely affecting marine mammals, as several recent cetacean mass strandings may have been caused by animals' interactions with naval ‘mid-frequency’ sonar. However, it has yet to be empirically demonstrated how sonar could induce these strandings or cause physiological effects. In controlled experimental studies, we show that mid-frequency sonar can induce temporary hearing loss in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Mild-behavioural alterations were also associated with the exposures. The auditory effects were induced only by repeated exposures to intense sonar pings with total sound exposure levels of 214 dB re: 1 μPa2 s. Data support an increasing energy model to predict temporary noise-induced hearing loss and indicate that odontocete noise exposure effects bear trends similar to terrestrial mammals. Thus, sonar can induce physiological and behavioural effects in at least one species of odontocete; however, exposures must be of prolonged, high sound exposures levels to generate these effects.

IWC 2009

2009-06-27T21:02:00.002-07:00

Hi everyone,

Here is a story about the last day of this year's IWC meeting. Please use it in any way you may wish. It will be posted on our web site (www.orcalab.org) soon, along with some photos.

IWC 2009 June 23

Greenland humpbacks: to kill or not

The morning session of IWC 61 (’09) Day Two was taken up by discussion of the “future” of the IWC, and the need to continue Chairman Hogarth’s efforts to resolve the deadlock that has arisen in negotiations, i.e. the failure of wishful thinking. The meeting was presented with a draft document titled “Consensus resolution on the extension of Small Working Group on the Future of the IWC until the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Commission” and asked to approve it. Getting the issue softly out of the way would have allowed the meeting to move on to other matters, and apparently this is what Chairman Hogarth expected to happen. After all, he had virtually been assured of consensus agreement at a private (read secret) Commissioners-only meeting on Sunday. Possibly some delegates weren’t paying attention, or else second thoughts had occurred in the interim, because many voices suddenly wanted to be heard. Predictable positions emerged as plainly as ever, making it quite clear that consensus was absent in the room. India contributed its belief that the 21st century should be dedicated to the recovery of whale populations after centuries of exploitation, a sentiment shared by many. Sadly and ominously, a dour note was sounded when a proposal to delete the reference to “a strong belief in maintaining healthy populations of whales and especially in the restoration of severely reduced populations” from the resolution. If not this, what, opined one observer, is the IWC about? Fortunately, Russia provided a light moment, amiably describing the establishment of a small smoking group with some Pacific Islanders, with the intention of studying the effects of the rain on this activity.

After lunch, things became far darker. The agenda item was the report of the Aboriginal Subsistence sub-committee, but the meat of the afternoon session was in Greenland’s request to add the deaths of 10 humpback whales to the long list of cetaceans if kills annually to feed its people, and incidentally create profits for supermarket retailers and whale product wholesalers. Yes, Greenland’s aboriginal whalers are partly commercial whalers. Aboriginal subsistence needs are generally regarded sympathetically by IWC members, but humpbacks have been a much beloved iconic species for decades. Virtually anyone, including Greenlanders, who propose making humpbacks gush their life’s blood as they experience agonizing death, can expect opposition. This must have been Greenland’s expectation, because until last night, during a fun-filled reception hosted by Madeira’s government, no one (apart from the proponents) knew what was about to happen. Greenland had submitted its proposal to the Secretariat at the last possible moment yesterday, and it had not been reviewed, as is customary, by the Aboriginal Subsistence sub-committee.

Last year, when Greenland (Denmark) proposed killing humpbacks, the IWC refused permission. This time round, though the proposal is the same, i.e. 10 humpbacks to be killed each year, the outcome is far less clear. The problem lies in the decision by the group of IWC members who belong to the European Union. Even though the EU is not a member of the IWC, the group of 24 EU countries that are members decided to vote as a bloc before this year’s meeting started. Suddenly, they are immersed in a nightmare. One of them, Denmark, is the proposer; others (e.g. Sweden) want EU members to abstain, knowing perfectly well that if they do so, Greenland’s wish will be granted. Getting consensus about a common position among the EU members in this room suddenly looks about as likely as Chairman Hogarth’s prospects for getting consensus about the future direction this chaotic organization will go in.

Tomorrow, the NGOs will have a chance to speak, 3 on each side of the barrier, for 5 minutes each. Perhaps rays of light, or pearls of wisdom will descend on this room under the volcanoe. We can only hope.

With thanks to WDCS bloggers

IWC 2009 June 24, 2009

On the edge

It became clear today that this 61st meeting of the IWC has only one substantive item on its agenda, Greenland’s attempt to obtain the Commission’s approval for killing humpback whales. Just before the afternoon session closed (it was running an hour late) Denmark announced that its request on behalf of Greenland was being reduced from 10 humpbacks per year for 3 years, to 10 humpbacks for “just” one year. Denmark seemed very pleased with the change, and expressed confidence that consensus would now occur. Possibly wanting to avoid an open dog fight, Chairman Hogarth put off debate until tomorrow morning, urging delegates to talk about it over night, and enjoy the wine at the NGO reception, being careful not to get lost on the way home. It’s not difficult to see what’s afoot here. Reliable sources say that the US has been strong arming (or charming) delegates all day, no doubt at the behest of Chairman Hogarth, who is also the head of the US delegation, telling (or asking) them to agree to Greenland’s modest proposal when it comes to the floor tomorrow morning. There seems to be a vague if not explicit threat in the message, i.e. that unless Greenland (read, whalers, aboriginal or not) gets its way, the delicate state of “future” negotiations could be in jeopardy. Well. In the first instance, everyone knows that once Greenland’s toe is in the door, the door will remain open; and beyond that, the floodgates that hide the “cultural” coastal whaling that Chairman Hogarth dreams of solving the entire IWC puzzle stand ready.

The tactics being employed are a combination of stealth and brute (or subtle) force. As noted yesterday, Denmark waited until the last possible moment to submit its resolution, and it didn’t give the Aboriginal Whaling sub-committee any clues, so the plot wasn’t even visible to most delegates until they came into the room yesterday. Just the same, wily pro-whale NGO’s, accustomed to the underhanded ways of its opposition, were ready, and immediately set about changing minds and (possible) votes. Recognising that US policy is in flux, and that President Obama has promised to base decisions on science, WDCS set up a page on its web site aimed at flooding the White House with ‘save Greenland humpbacks’ messages, hoping the US delegation would receive orders from Washington to back off. We’ll see what tomorrow brings; in the meantime, Greenland humpbacks stand at a (flensing) knife’s edge.

Speaking of NGOs, the highlight of this day occurred early on, when 6 NGOs, 3 on each side representing their respective communities, spoke to the assembled delegates. The pro-whaling speeches, from indigenous and commercial whalers, were full of heart, need, and fear. It was impossible to resist the charm of a Maori blessing, and the urgency of a Chukotka plea for understanding; nor was it easy to evade the concern felt by whalers’ families as their loved ones headed into Antarctic waters inhabited by fearsome enemies. But the combination of history, knowledge, science, logic and heartfelt concern for the dangers the oceans, the whales and our world are facing now that was provided by the pro-whale NGOs, though understated in tone, was forceful and utterly convincing. Dr. Sidney Holt, who has certainly been involved in the whaling debate far longer than anyone else in the room, announced his conclusion that the only possible way “forward” is to phase out and close down commercial and “scientific” whaling, forever. No more moratoriums or limited opportunities, just stop, period, and within 3 years of the decision being made. Given that Dr. Holt had been an ardent advocate of setting in place a system that would provide limited opportunity for whaling, while protecting vulnerable whale populations, his view provided a clean and welcome counterpoint to the messy manipulations of Chairman Hogarth. Should it be accepted, it would enable “us” to get on with what is critically important, saving endangered oceans and our precious planet.

It is interesting to note things that get the room going, united or divided. Whale watching is one such issue. It is enthusiastically endorsed by numerous IWC members, including former whaling nations who sing its praises. By one account, it is now a 2 billion dollar industry, a sum close enough to bank bailout numbers to raise interest among even die hard holdouts who cling to the belief that the only sustainable “use” whales of lies in their dead bodies. For a while this morning, it seemed possible that complaints about the benefits of whale watching flowing only to rich countries might translate into an initiative, suggested by Monaco & others, that might see whale watching know-how transferred to poorer nations which would directly benefit (and which Japan finds easy to persuade). It hasn’t happened yet, but perhaps a seed has been planted. The one thing that rocked the room and rolled everyone into the same corner, scrambling to be heard, was the issue of safety at sea, which translates into the issue of Sea Shepherd’s anti-whaling activism in the Antarctic. A video shot from the mast of a Japanese whaler, accompanied by panicky shouts from the crew, was universally accepted as evidence of blatant aggression, which soon became evidence of piracy equivalent to that now happening off Somalia; and the utter gall of the pirates’ leader, observed lounging by the pool in the hotel next door, was beyond belief. It took an hour before the steam was spent, and though in the end it was acknowledged that after 30 years of outrage, Paul Watson would probably be back for more, it was also acknowledged that the IWC was probably powerless to prevent him from returning to the Antarctic.

And so the show goes on. Surprisingly, tomorrow will probably be the last day. This belief, encouraged by Chairman Hogarth, does however rely on his expectation that consensus will occur around Greenland’s humpback goal. If he is wrong, the road ahead to the end of this meeting could be long.

IWC 2009 June 26, 2009

So the band plays on

This 61st meeting of the International Whaling Commission began with a wonderful medley from Madeira’s Mandolin Orchestra, the oldest such in Europe. It brought back memories of a former time when families sat around the radio, imagining themselves stepping off a train into a crowded street where music played and people danced in each others arms, waltzing, round and round. What primal pleasure it evoked, entrancing the room. If only the mood had remained. Chairman Hogarth, to his credit, was choked and practically in tears at the end when he said farewell, telling everyone “I consider y’all my family” as he handed the baton on to Chile’s Commissioner, confessing that he didn’t know whether to sing or dance, and wishing him and everyone luck in the task ahead. Sadly, he forgot to mention that the task ahead is precisely that which he had in front of him when his tenure began 3 years ago; with one foot mired in mud and the other stepping onto quicksand. No-one could doubt the sincerity of Chairman Hogarth’s intentions, or his gratitude for being allowed to hold onto his job when the new US Administration took over, but the simple truth is, like so much else that came with the Bush era, and despite the standing ovation that accompanied his exit, he failed.

The morning of the last day of this shortened week provided a perfect example of the delusional state Chairman Hogarth has been in. Last night, as you’ll recall, he ducked debate over Denmark’s modified proposal to kill humpback whales, deferring the issue until today in the belief that he could wrangle consensus in a private Commissioners-only meeting first thing this morning. Not a chance. The only thing that came out of the secret confab was a decision to tell the Secretariat to spend at least £60,000 on an intercessional meeting, to be held somewhere (Santiago, it turns out) before the start of Greenland’s next harpoon season, to settle that sole issue. The £60k is just the cost to the Secretariat, and you’d have to calculate the cost of bringing representatives from scores of countries scattered around the world to Chile (because just about everyone will want to be there) to come close to the cash that will be squandered on what is quite possibly going to be a fruitless exercise. And to get anywhere near the real cost, you’d have to add in the carbon footprint, certainly huge, that will nudge the jewel that is this planet we inhabit, in the direction of Mars. As Chairman Hogarth himself might have said, it’s enough to make a grown man cry.

So all we have from this annual exercise in futility is a vague promise to keep holding hands as we wend our way towards a Shangri-la that lies in the distance as ephemeral as a desert mirage, a perfect conclusion perhaps, to a forced vacation in paradise. After all, the next stop is Morocco. As the Russian Commissioner remarked, there at least, we’ll get to see Casablanca (quite possibly humming “as time goes by”.

None of this is to say that there are not encouraging signs popping up here and there amidst the debris. Climate change is now a big deal in deliberations of the Scientific Committee, and is increasingly mentioned in debates on the floor. Moreover, the initiative of Australia to undertake a systematic programme of non-lethal research in the southern oceans, is not only endorsed by the “like-minded” community of nations, it has stated goals that have the blessing, without dissent, of the Scientific Committee. These developments clearly represent a significant step forward. Australia, bless her, is clearly willing to back the intent (to show there is a different way to do whale science than counting bodies) with serious funding. Two major research cruises, in collaboration with New Zealand and other partners are already planned for this year, and more will follow. A new path is being opened, and (dare one say it) through that path a way to the future may be found.

As Chairman Hogarth said in his last words to this fractious and fragmented body, there’s hope, hope, hope.

The live stream has ended, but you can get more information about this year's meeting from:
http://www2.wdcs.org/blog/
http://www.earthisland.org/marinemammal/index.php/eco2009

As ever, this comes with our best wishes to you all,

Paul & Helena

Tofino 2009

2009-05-27T23:19:00.002-07:00

BC Resident Grey Whales and Sea Otters

2009-05-18T12:46:00.005-07:00

The following photos were taken near Flores Island, Clayoquot Sound on May 13, 2009. We encountered the same whale on two different occasions and is easily recognized by the local tour boat captains as a regular summer resident grey whale though its light coloured head and unique markings. There were other grey whales in the large outer swells and foraging in the bays off the west coast of the island but this individual seemed to prefer the more sheltered east and south sides that day.

1st Encounter (11:56)

2nd Encounter (17:06)

Sea otters were spotted near the area and are a successful 1960s translocation experiment from the Aleutian Islands after being hunted to extinction in British Columbia during the fur trade 1700-1800s. In 1911, an international treaty protected the sea otters allowing existing populations in Alaska to grow.

1st Otter

2nd Otter

Fish farms and active heli-logging were present in Clayoquot Sound.

Robson Bight salvage set to begin

2009-05-13T09:26:00.002-07:00

At long last, the salvage of the diesel fuel tanker that fell to the bottom of Robson Bight, on August 20th 2007 is set to begin. A barge laden with salvage equipment is anchored over the site, and a 30 person crew from Mammoet Salvage, a Dutch company, and Seattle based Global Diving & Salvage, has been busily getting everything ready for the operation over the past few days. Local First Nations and NGOs are also involved, helping to monitor the sensitive environment surrounding the Ecological Reserve that was created in 1982 to protect vital orca habitat. The salvage will probably begin tomorrow (May 13th). Giant anchors have already been deployed to keep the barge in place. Today, a small remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with cameras is inspecting the underwater site. Hopefully, this inspection will ensure that the tanker truck and other debris are located exactly where they were when last seen in December 2007.

Hopefully, too, the inspection will determine that the condition of the diesel tanker truck has not deteriorated to the point where it will break apart when moved. To help avoid the possibility of a spill of diesel oil during the tricky lifting part of the operation, a metal box (yellow in the photo at http://www.orcalab.org) will first be lowered over the tanker truck, which will then be secured inside the box. A huge crane on the barge will lift the box and its deadly cargo to the surface. When the load reaches 10m below the surface, divers will inspect the box and tanker, to determine whether any diesel has leaked during the lift. If there are no leaks, the box and tanker will be hoisted onto the deck of the barge. At that point, the diesel will be pumped out of the fuel tanker into another storage tank, and everyone involved will breathe a collective sigh of relief. Weather permitting; the job of lifting will start tomorrow, beginning with a container filled with dozens of pails of hydraulic oil. If all goes well with this initial lift, the fuel truck will be hoisted to the surface the following day (Thursday) or perhaps a day later. On the surface at least, the plan is a sound one, though the operation is still complicated and unknowns may lie in the way. To guard against the possibility of an inadvertent spill of oil, booms will be deployed around the site. Everyone involved hopes they won’t be needed, and that the weather cooperates. We will let you know what happens once the salvage operation is completed. In the meanwhile, our fingers are crossed.

As ever, this comes with our best wishes to you all, Paul & Helena

Grey Whale - Ship Strikes

2009-04-30T21:32:00.003-07:00

Preliminary findings were that the 41.5' adult male
Gray whale had good body condition and had a stomach full of food (ghost shrimp and other inverebrates from a quick glance). Evidence of bruising and internal bleeding lead biologists to believe this whale likely died from blunt force trauma, such as a large ship strike.

Cascadia Research will be providing a summary of their findings on both this whale and the whale necropsied Tuesday near Birch Bay, WA which we will post in our next whale report.

Healthy Oceans

2009-04-10T14:51:00.003-07:00

A credible, long-term plan for any ocean region must include an increase in protected areas where specific types of industrial activity are limited. Canada has the longest coastline of any nation on Earth, and 40 per cent of our jurisdictional area is ocean, yet the federal government has set aside less than one per cent of that as marine protected areas. - Dr. David Suzuki

Healthy Oceans

Navy Submarine Sonar

2009-04-08T13:50:00.008-07:00

This file is edited from the Navy SONAR recorded yesterday by John Boyd through the Whale Museum Lime Kiln hydrophone. The sonar had a fundamental frequency of 3.8Khz with harmonics up to 15Khz. The fundamental frequencies of killer whale calls range from 300Hz to 6 kHz. Killer whales respond to tones within the frequency range of about 0.5 to 125 kHz. Peak hearing sensitivity for killer whales is about 20 kHz and their sensitivity declines gradually above and below 20 kHz. Dr. Val Veirs of Beam Reach reported that the SONAR source level was in the range 175 dB to 225 dB re 1 microPa@1m.

Transient T44 found dead

2009-04-01T22:21:00.002-07:00

John Ford of Canada's DFO reported the sad news that 31 year old male Transient T44 had been found dead near Port Hardy, BC. T44 and his family, the T41's have been sighted and reported regularly to Orca Network, and T44 was one of those easy to recognize whales with his large fin with a nick in it.

A couple of days ago, the MacKays were told of a sighting of a dead orca floating near Hope Island (near Port Hardy). The DFO was alerted and with the help of a Coast Guard boat, that was in the vicinity, the whale was secured. DFO was able to identify the 31 year old transient male as T44. A necropsy will be performed in the next day or so. Finding a whale, soon after death, is a very rare occurrence and presents an opportunity to gain valuable knowledge.
Helena Symonds, Orcalab

Help Protect Wild Salmon

2009-03-11T16:38:00.003-07:00

Help Alexandra Morton in the fight to protect our wild salmon stocks from fish farms by signing the petition.

Help Protect Canada's Oceans

2009-03-09T18:03:00.001-07:00

Our oceans need protection, action to protect them delays, as threats increase.

sign government petition here

Killer Whale Protection

2009-02-25T23:13:00.002-08:00

Feds boost protection for killer whales after being sued

The federal government is making it illegal to damage the habitat of critically endangered killer whales off the coast of B.C. — and a coalition of environmental groups is taking credit. The government issued an order under the Species at Risk Act this week that legally protects the areas where northeast Pacific northern and southern resident populations of killer whales live. It also enhances the government's ability conduct inspections and investigations and fine parties who damage those areas, although it does not include specifics about what would constitute damage. A coalition of environmental groups says a lawsuit they launched in October, which alleges the government failed to protect killer whales' habitat as required by law, prompted the government to issue the order on Monday. Jay Ritchlin, director of marine and freshwater conservation at the David Suzuki Foundation, one of the groups involved in the case, said he is glad the federal government has now decided to take this step. "And we're looking forward to a time when they do so without having to be sued first," he said in a statement. The order is the first ever made under the 2004 Species at Risk Act. It came after the government stated in September that it would rely on existing legislation to protect the killer whales. That prompted nine environmental groups represented by Lara Tessaro, a lawyer with the environmental law group Ecojustice Canada, to file the lawsuit against the government.

Review prompted order: official

Pardeep Ahluwalia, director general of the species at risk management program at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said government has reviewed the killer whale protection policy it issued in the fall, taking into account comments from stakeholders, including environmental groups. "We thought we could do better and so the protection order that we published this week was in response to our review," Ahluwalia said. "It's hard to say whether or not that [lawsuit] influenced our decision." Such reviews are standard when the government is working with new legislation such as the Species at Risk Act, he said. According to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans resident killer whale recovery team, the animals are threatened by declining salmon stocks, increased boat traffic, toxic contamination, and loud underwater noises from dredging. Recent counts show 85 individuals remain in the southern population and around 245 in the northern population.

The nine groups involved in the lawsuit are:

* Dogwood Initiative.
* Environmental Defence.
* David Suzuki Foundation.
* Raincoast Conservation Society.
* Sierra Club BC.
* International Fund for Animal Welfare.
* Greenpeace.
* Georgia Strait Alliance.
* Wilderness Committee.

Tessaro said Wednesday that while she is pleased with the government's order, she won't immediately drop the lawsuit. She wants to see the final, more detailed version of the order that is to be published in the Canada Gazette on March 4 and then consult with her clients before taking that step. "I'm quite sure that this lawsuit is what forced DFO to issue this order," she said. Environmental groups are now hoping the government is serious about enforcing the new protection for killer whales and will follow up with similar orders for other endangered species, Tessaro said. "What this means for the whales is that no longer is their survival and recovery going to be dependent on old laws like the Fisheries Act or unenforceable policies," she said. "Endangered species in Canada are endangered because their habitat is being degraded. Orders protecting their habitat are fundamental if we're going to ensure that these species survive and recover."

AMR

2009-02-24T17:28:00.002-08:00

Faith - L57

2009-02-22T13:01:00.004-08:00

Faith has been determined as missing by the Center for Whale Research. A recent CWR superpod encounter near Victoria revealed the 31 year old adult male missing and two new babies one in L and J pods each bringing the total for the population to 85 whales. This population is usually off Monteray Bay, CA, at this time of year. Faith is the last member of the L45 matriline. His mother L45 died in 1995 at the age of 57 years old. Faith was her only surviving offspring, his sibling L36 was born two years earlier but died later that same year in 1975. Faith's uncle died, at the age of 19, the same year L57 was born in 1977. The average life span for male resident killer whales is 29 years of age, but they can live longer. Ruffles is the oldest living male southern resident at 58 years of age.

Faith on the left (Haro Striat superpod,12:09 August 27, 2006)

Faith (L&J pods at San Juan Island, 12:35 June 23,2006)

Ocean Noise 2008 Science

2009-02-20T20:51:00.002-08:00

Behavioral impacts clearly replaced strandings and deaths as the key issue for marine mammals encountering human noise. Several studies released during 2008 all suggest that whales of many species may stop or reduce their feeding when moderate to loud human sounds enter their habitat, and this particular impact is likely to become a central focus of future research and regulatory consideration.

The legal tussles over mid-frequency and low-frequency active sonars continued, and the Supreme Court decision does not put an end to the controversy. The Navy crossed an important threshold, completing full Environmental Impact Statements for their sonar training procedures for the first time; the lack of sufficient NEPA analysis was the root of most of the legal challenges. The plans they are putting forward to govern sonar training off most of the US coastline continue to rely on safety measures that Federal Courts have found wanting, though it appears that challenges to their proposals are more likely to focus on avoiding biologically important areas than increasing the safety zones that are designed to avoid injury. All parties seem to be accepting that gross injury is rare to the point of being difficult to use as a lever to shift the balance of interests with the Navy’s national security imperative, but NGOs, many field researchers, and agency staff are all looking more closely at the behavioral impacts that take place at much longer ranges (up to several or even tens of kilometers). The next round of Navy sonar conflicts will center on how willing the Navy is to consider these subtler impacts, and whether NMFS or the courts will impose broader territorial restrictions on sonar training to protect areas where whales may be more susceptible to repeated disruption by sonar transmissions.

Shipping noise is moving very quickly to the forefront of international concerns about rising ocean noise. This year the US, with strong German support, initiated a two-year process at the International Maritime Organization to come up with ship quieting recommendations. Also, the unusual sensitivity of harbor porpoises to boat noise has become clearer.

PDF

Acoustic Ecology Institute

January Sunsets

2009-01-23T20:02:00.002-08:00

Dolphins, whales lack protection from fishing

2009-01-12T18:13:00.002-08:00

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration has failed to provide protections required by law to more than a dozen marine mammals potentially at risk of death or injury due to commercial fishing, congressional investigators said Wednesday.

The report by the Government Accountability Office assessed the National Marine Fisheries Service, which identifies potentially endangered animals such as whales and dolphins that can become entangled in fishing gear or lobster traps. It found that out of 30 marine mammals deserving protection under federal guidelines, the agency had failed to set up teams of experts to provide protection for 14 of them.

According to the GAO, the fisheries service was generally aware it needed to take protective measures for the additional mammals, which included the Hawaiian stock of false killer whales and the Central North Pacific stock of humpback whales. But it had not done so because officials said they either had faulty data and lacked money to obtain better information, or believed factors other than commercial fishing were to blame.

The GAO also said the fisheries service generally lacked a "comprehensive strategy" for assessing the effectiveness of its animal protection measures and often missed deadlines to set up teams and devise safety plans.

The report urged Congress to have the fisheries service report on any data limitations. Lawmakers should also consider steps to ensure the agency complies with federal law, it said.

The fisheries service "faces a very large, complex and difficult task in trying to protect marine mammals from incidental mortality and serious injury during the course of commercial fishing operations," investigators wrote.

The GAO report comes a day after President George W. Bush designated what he called "three beautiful and biologically diverse areas of the Pacific Ocean" as national marine monuments in what was the largest marine conservation effort in history. Bush used his announcement to broadly defend his environmental record.

"For an administration that is desperately trying to create a legacy of ocean stewardship before leaving office, it is disappointing to hear that they have dropped the ball on reducing incidental deaths of mammals due to commercial fishing," said Rep. Nick J. Rahall, D-W.Va. He is chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, which requested the GAO report.

Associated Press

Copy of GAO
report

Xmas 2008

2008-12-29T13:01:00.002-08:00

Tobogganing in the Sooke Hills, music by Jason Mraz - I'm Yours

Puget Sound Researchers Find Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Orcas

2008-11-21T22:04:00.003-08:00

Puget Sound's orcas collectively harbor more than a dozen different kinds of antibiotic-resistant bacteria — as well as other bacteria known to kill animals that are in a weakened condition, according to Puget Sound researchers. Independent researchers David Bain, a biologist, and Pete Schroeder, a veterinarian, have been studying the droplets emitted from Puget Sound whales' blow holes and culturing the samples. Their research, discussed this week at a meeting about recent orca deaths, found at least two groups of bacteria known to cause death in immune-compromised individuals. The findings add to other studies that show the orcas, possibly weakened by toxic chemicals in their environment and a salmon shortage, could be wiped out in a catastrophic event — such as an oil spill or disease. Some say a loss of a third or more of the 83 orcas alive today could trigger a death spiral for the entire population. And it's not just the whales that are at risk. "If these things are getting into whales, then they could be getting into swimmers at the beach," Bain said. Because some bacteria show resistance to antibiotics, it is likely that they are coming from human sources, possibly stormwater or improperly treated sewage. Another concern is that a disease could get into animals on land and spread to Puget Sound. "We don't have an effective barrier to keep it out of the marine environment," Bain said. "It is possible that someone could bring a disease from another continent and expose the whales, causing a significant decline in their population.

For example, a fungus called cryptococcus gattii has been implicated in the deaths of dozens of harbor porpoises in the Northwest, he said. That same fungus has resulted in the deaths of numerous pets and serious illness for humans. Some researchers believe the fungus was brought to British Columbia in a eucalyptus tree from Australia, where the fungus is native. Spores may have washed into stormwater flowing into the Georgia Basin, which connects with Puget Sound. Nobody can say whether the seven deaths of orcas this year were connected to cryptococcus or any other organism, because none of the carcasses were found. Researchers did obtain a blubber sample of one emaciated whale that later disappeared. They are waiting for test results to see if a cause of death can be determined. "One thing we want to learn," said Bain, "is whether there is a correlation between the number of species (of bacteria) and the mortality rates of the whales," he said. In other words, are the individuals with a greater bacterial load at greater risk of getting sick and dying? Schroeder, a marine mammal veterinarian, said two groups of bacteria found by the researchers are of great concern. They are the Vibrios and Claustridiums, which are known to cause death in immune-compromised individuals. "The same biological rule holds true in people and in animals," he said. "You can carry these pathogens around, but they have to get into your system through an open wound. Even then, you might fight them off if your immune system is in good shape." One concern for the orcas, however, is that they contain some of the greatest concentrations of toxic chemicals of any marine mammals in the world. The chemicals include polychlorinated biphenyls, believed to impair the immune system. Another factor that could weaken the whales is a shortage of salmon, which can cause them to use up their fat reserves in search of food. Lack of salmon has been mentioned frequently as a likely factor in the seven recent deaths. Bain, Schroeder and their colleagues in British Columbia have not found major changes in the bacteria they discovered during their three-year study of the Puget Sound whales, known as Southern Residents.

They would like to continue the research, which is funded by the National Marine Fisheries Service, and include Northern Residents, a related group of orcas in British Columbia. Schroeder said the bacterial counts in water and orcas could become an important indicator of ecosystem health. One reason he and Bain have begun talking about their unpublished research is to get the attention of the Puget Sound Partnership, which is putting together an Action Agenda for restoring Puget Sound. "My standpoint as a veterinarian is that I want to find out if we can prevent these animals from becoming ill," Schroeder said. "If we identify enough of these antibiotic-resistant bacteria, we can start source studies." Tracking the bacteria to their sources — possibly sewage-treatment plants, boat discharges and urban stormwater — could be the key to reducing the orca's exposure to the dangerous pathogens, Schroeder said. Sewage from the city of Victoria is released practically untreated into waters not far from where the whales spend much of their summers. "That," said Schroeder, "is the elephant in the room." Treating the whales for illness is beyond the realm of current research. Schroeder has worked with whales and dolphins in captivity where blood tests reveal the health of an individual. In wild "herd animals," such as orcas, signs of illness may go unrecognized until an individual is so ill that it drops out of its group. If a wild whale could be diagnosed in time, Bain said it could open the door to using the appropriate antibiotics to treat the disease and reduce the risk of wiping out the entire population. That level of manipulation is sure to generate controversy. But knowing that the orcas are surrounded by unnatural bacteria, as well as a variety of man-made chemicals, could change management goals for saving the whales.

source - Kipsap Sun

Help stop the expansion of unsustainable salmon-farming practices in B.C.

2008-11-19T21:01:00.003-08:00

photo - Rachael Griffin

Click Here - to Help stop the expansion of unsustainable salmon-farming practices in B.C.

photo - Rachael Griffin

BC: Save Wild Salmon, Save Orcas

2008-11-17T18:00:00.001-08:00

Now Public

Anemones

2008-11-09T21:09:00.001-08:00

IMGP3499, originally uploaded by Aqua Green.

Aggregated - Arbutus Bay

Rainbow

2008-11-03T16:15:00.002-08:00

San Juan Island

Bald Eagle & Blue Heron

2008-10-28T23:45:00.002-07:00

83 Southern Residents

2008-10-21T20:37:00.003-07:00

photo - L67/Splash by Rachael Griffin

There were seven losses to the southern resident killer whale community of BC this year leaving a total of 83 animals. Those lost include Splash/L67 (23 year old), Luna's mom and little brother Aurora/L101 (6 years old). Lummi/K7 was the oldest female (98 years old) of the population and was noted missing at the beginning of the season. Ankh/L21 a 58 year old female is among the missing and Blosson/J11 a 36 year old female. The calf born in June this year K42 is still surviving however the other calf born this year in August L111 is missing as is J43 a calf born last year. This is very discouraging as the community is endangered and many of the whales are looking like they are malnourished showing a distinctive 'peanut head' when starved apparently due to low Chinook fish stocks.

photo - L67/Splash by Rachael Griffin

Tofino

2008-10-06T12:48:00.002-07:00

Sombrio Beach Grey Whales

2008-09-05T21:45:00.002-07:00

Two grey whales were feeding near Sombrio Beach during our stay from August 29 to September 2, 2008.

New calf in L pod!

2008-08-13T23:52:00.001-07:00

photo - L7/Canuck - L pod member

New L pod calf L111, discovered on August 12, 2008, born to L47. Researchers photographed fetal folds indicating a very recent birth. L47 was witnessed on August 11th without a calf further indicating a birth date of August 12th. This is the sixth calf for L47, L111 joins sisters L91/Muncher and L83/Moonlight who had her own son this time last year, L110. Last year L pod had 43 members, the Center for Whale Research (CRW) has yet to officially confirm two missing members making this a very important birth for L pod.

CWR photos

See and Hear Orcas!

2008-08-06T13:14:00.003-07:00

You can hear the underwater calls of the same killer whales you view remotely on the live OrcaCam!

Orca Cam

Orca Sounds - click on "Listen to OrcaSound on San Juan Island"

K7 - Lummi - presumed dead

2008-08-06T12:55:00.003-07:00

K7, known as Lummi, the oldest whale in the southern resident killer whale community is presumed to have died since she has not returned to her summer home this year. She was estimated to be born in 1910 making her the age of 98 this year. She gave birth to three whales in her life time, two males and one female. The sons of Lummi are no longer alive, K1 was born in 1955 and died in 1997, K2 was born in 1953 and died in 1974. In 1933 Lummi gave birth to a female K11 who is still alive with one offspring, three grand children and two great grand children.

Center for Whale Research

Save the Streams - Brochure

2008-07-21T13:38:00.003-07:00

Ocean Society Needs a Zodiac

2008-07-19T22:23:00.002-07:00