July

"Orcas, known for their distinctive black-and-white markings, are one of the top predators of the sea. But they face numerous threats, such as entanglement, overfishing, habitat loss, noise pollution, and contaminants."

What is an orca?

Orcas, also known as killer whales, are considered both a whale and a dolphin. In fact, they're the biggest species of dolphin! Orcas are one of the top predators of the sea and have been known to bring down prey larger than themselves by working as a team and using their intelligence and strategizing skills. They range throughout all the oceans, though they prefer colder temperatures, and can be recognized by their distinctive black-and-white markings.

Threats to orcas

The main threats to orcas include decreasing prey availability, noise pollution and disturbance, and contaminants in the water.

Decreasing prey availability is caused by overfishing, which is an unsustainable practice where people fish so much and so quickly that fish populations can't replenish in time and their numbers drop drastically. This practice is not only bad for the fish; it's bad for the predators that depend on those fish for survival, such as orcas. It's important to make sure the fish you buy from markets and restaurants was caught sustainably and not overfished, so as not to encourage the practice!

Noise pollution and disturbance can come in the form of industrial processes, military activity, underwater construction, underwater drilling, and vessel traffic, which refers to the use of vessels such as boats, ships, ferries, whale-watching boats, cruise ships, cargo ships, etc. All this underwater noise makes it hard for orcas to hunt and find food, since they rely on echolocation, or noise, to do so and noise pollution clogs up the water. It also impacts orcas' abilities to communicate with each other.

According to NOAA, "Contaminants enter ocean waters and sediments from many sources, such as wastewater treatment plants, sewer outfalls, and pesticide application. Once in the environment, these substances move up the food web and accumulate in top predators, such as killer whales, because of their long lifespan, position at the top of the food chain, and blubber stores. These contaminants can harm killer whales’ immune and reproductive systems.

"Despite modern pollution controls, chemical contamination through the food web continues to threaten killer whales. These controls have reduced, but not eliminated, many contaminants in the environment. Additionally, some of these contaminants persist in the marine environment for decades and continue to threaten marine life."

What are Southern Resident orcas?

Southern Resident orcas are a subspecies of orca that are listed as endangered on the U.S. Endangered Species Act list. "They range from central California to southeast Alaska," according to NOAA. Southern resident orcas are struggling due to their depleting Chinook salmon supply, which they rely on for survival; noise pollution from boats in their environment; and contaminants in the water. According to a CWR 2024 survey, there are estimated to be about 73 individuals remaining. 

Why are orcas important?

Orcas are an apex predator, which means that they have no natural predators---they are at the top of the food chain in their ecosystem. They are essential to their ecosystems being healthy. Orcas prey on a wide variety of creatures and help keep prey populations in check so that ecosystems can maintain a healthy balance. Orcas also help distribute nutrients throughout their habitat by defecating as they travel, and they increase biodiversity by controlling populations so that other, less numerous species can also thrive and by maintaining a stable habitat for the species they live with. Like tigers, orcas are a keystone species and an umbrella species. Their survival is an indicator of a healthy ocean.

Orcas in captivity

The problem of orcas in captivity, while better now, is still ongoing. Orcas are highly intelligent animals and can endure psychological stress in captivity, leading them to attack humans* and other orcas and negatively impact their well-being. According to the International Marine Mammal Project, as of 2024 "there are at least 54 orcas in captivity in marine parks around the world." Some orcas are bred in captivity and some are captured from the wild. We need to address this problem---both for the orcas in captivity and for the survival of orcas in the wild.

*Orcas have never been observed to kill a human in the wild, but some captive orcas have become aggressive under stressful conditions and have killed people, although attacks are still extremely rare.

Conservation efforts

Conservation efforts to minimize threats to orcas are underway. Many groups are working to replenish orca prey populations, protect orcas from contaminants in waters, raise awareness, and keep orcas safe. To learn more about orca conservation efforts, you can visit NOAA's page here: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/killer-whale/conservation-management.

For a list of some other orca conservation success stories, you can go here: https://www.worldorcaday.org/orca-conservation/ and here: https://savedolphins.eii.org/news/whale-dolphin-captivity-bans-globally-and-why-the-united-states-should-join#:~:text=As%20of%20January%202024%2C%20there,for%20years%20without%20orca%20companionship%29.

What YOU can do to help.

There's a lot you can do to help the orca---and to help all the creatures and plants that call our big, beautiful ocean home! Some ideas:

• Raise awareness about the orca's and the ocean's plight! Spread the message through word-of-mouth, social media, posters, etc., and make sure to keep updated on these issues, as well as on the conservation efforts to solve them!

• Whale watch from the shore instead of taking a boat (to find over 100 spots from British Columbia to Southern California to shoreside whale watch, check out this list: https://thewhaletrail.org/)! Always maintain a respectful distance from whales and other marine life!

• If you see marine life in need of assistance, don't approach yourself. Instead, report the situation to people who are qualified to handle it and maintain a respectful and safe distance.

• Shop for sustainably-caught seafood at stores and in restaurants! If your favorite brand or restaurant doesn't use sustainably-caught seafood, you can petition for a change and argue for why they should!

• Participate in World Orca day!

• Donate your time, money, and/or efforts to organizations working to help save the orca and its marine habitat!

World Orca Day

World Orca day is an annual event that takes place on July 14---this month! To learn more about orcas, World Orca day, what you can do to help; or to get involved, go to the website: https://www.worldorcaday.org/.