For 10 years, June has been proclaimed Orca Month by the Governors of Washington and Oregon to focus attention on the plight of the fragile Southern Resident community of orcas, to honor their presence in our waters, and to speed up efforts to recover the population. Orca Month, started by long-time killer whale conservation group Orca Network, was created to bring together researchers, advocates, and killer whale lovers everywhere to raise the awareness of the threats facing these magnificent animals and provide a community to celebrate killer whales of the Salish Sea and west coast.
This year, as Orca Month approaches again, the one-year old Orca Salmon Alliance (OSA) has decided to take part in order to help make the 10th anniversary of Orca Month as big and great as it can be! The Orca Salmon Alliance encourages everyone to take part- Orca Month is for every killer whale lover out there! OSA participation will focus on bringing events and activities to the public that raise awareness about the threats faced by the Southern Resident killer whales and their main prey, Chinook salmon. Topics will include the need to restore habitat for Chinook, exploring recovery of Pacific Northwest river systems, particularly the importance of the Snake/Columbia River Basin, the impacts of pollution on both species, and what other unique threats the most urban killer whales in the world face. OSA’s main message this year follows the saying, “No fish, no Blackfish” and we would like to challenge others to think about salmon recovery in terms of the foundation of nutrition the fish give to numerous other species and ecosystems of the Northwest, including our beloved fish-eating killer whales, the Southern Residents. It has been just over 10 years since the Southern Residents themselves were listed under the Endangered Species Act, along with many of the Chinook runs within their range, and the future of both still hangs by a thread. The Alliance aims to raise awareness about their plight this June and will provide calls for action that will make a difference for these iconic Northwest species. |
Toxic Beauty
June 16, 2016 - 6:30-9:00pm. Woodland Park Zoo See Orca Month Events Calendar below for more details 
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