The endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales need your help!
Southern Resident Killer Whales - Painting created by our Co-Founder Peggy Oki
Take action for the 73 endangered Southern Resident killer whales.
Who are the Southern Resident Killer Whales?
The Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) are a distinct population of killer whales (orcas) that inhabit the waters of the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Their habitat ranges from southeast Alaska to Monterey in California. Historically, the SRKWs regularly visited the inland waters of Washington State and British Columbia in the Salish Sea, an area encompassing Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Strait of Georgia, but due to the availability of their preferred prey, Chinook salmon, their visits to this area have become more infrequent.
The Southern Resident Killer Whales are known for their complex social structure. They live in tight-knit family groups called pods, which are led by older, post-reproductive females known as matriarchs. Each pod is composed of multiple generations of related individuals. There are three pods identified within the Southern Resident population: J, K, and L pods. Each pod is further divided into smaller family groups called matrilines.
Why are they endangered?
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The Southern Resident Killer Whales face various threats, including the decline of their main prey, the Chinook salmon, pollution, noise disturbance from vessel traffic, and the cumulative effects of these stressors. As a result, the population has been listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and Canada's Species at Risk Act.
Arguably the biggest threat to the Southern Resident killer whales is the lack of their primary prey, Chinook salmon. Their well-being is intricately linked to the abundance of this specific species. While they also consume other types of fish, such as Sockeye and Chum salmon, these alternatives are less fatty and nutritious.
Over the past decade, the crucial salmon runs in the region have experienced a consistent decline. Various factors, including dams, pollution, urbanization, climate change, and habitat loss, have collectively contributed to the diminishing numbers of salmon. The Southern Residents heavily rely on these salmon runs, and the challenges faced by the fish populations impact the killer whales' health and reproductive success.
As of July 2024, 14 Southern Resident killer whales are classified as “vulnerable” based on photogrammetry (3D measurements from photographs) compared to previous years’ data. Research by SR3 and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife has identified these 14 whales as being in poor body condition (BC1), with one whale declining rapidly to sub-normal condition (BC2). Whales in poor body condition are 2 to 3 times more likely to face subsequent mortality.
Take Action: Write a letter
To help protect the Southern Resident killer whales and the wild salmon they need, please contact the officials listed below and your congressional representatives expressing your support for breaching the four lower Snake River damns. ​​
Senator Patty Murray
2930 Wetmore Avenue, Ste.9D.
Everett, Washington 98201
(425) 259-6515
United States Army Corps of Engineers Northwest Division
1201 NE Lloyd Blvd ste 400
Portland, OR 97232-1257
503-808-4510
Chris Wright, Secretary,
Department of Energy
Forrestal Building,
1000 Independence Ave SW
Washington DC, 20585
503-378-4582
Governor Bob Ferguson
Office of the Governor PO Box
40002, Olympia, WA 98504-0002
360-902-4111
Senator Maria Cantwell
915 Second Avenue, Suite 3206
Seattle, WA 98174
(206) 220-6400
John Hairston, CEO, Bonneville Power
Administration
BPA Public Involvement
P.O. Box 14428
800-622-4519
Governor Tina Kotek
State Capitol Building
900 Court Street NE, 160
Salen, OR 97301
503-378-4582
Below is an editable sample letter that can be sent to the above officials. We also have downloadable stationery that you can use if you would like to write a handwritten letter.
Reasons to breach the dams
Salmon and Ecosystem Recovery
The Snake River was once a highly productive salmon river, generating over half of the Northwest’s Chinook salmon and substantial numbers of other salmon species and steelhead trout, totalling 4-8 million fish annually. Salmon sustain ecosystems and economies from the Pacific to the Continental Divide. Their decline has affected over 130 regional species, including the Southern Resident killer whales, who primarily feed on Chinook salmon and are also declining due to this loss. The drop in salmon populations has negatively impacted the health of Idaho’s forests and the diets, cultures, religions, and economies of Indigenous Tribes. Restoring these ecosystems requires a significant increase in wild salmon and steelhead numbers, which, according to the Columbia River System Operations EIS and the NOAA “Rebuilding Interior Columbia Basin Salmon and Steelhead” report, is only achievable by breaching the lower Snake River dams and restoring a free-flowing river.
Economic Benefits
Breaching the LSRDs will incur short-term costs but offer long-term savings on maintenance and boost the economy through restored fisheries and ecosystem services. The restoration is projected to create up to 25,000 jobs and generate $1 billion annually.
Climate Change
Breaching the LSRDs will help combat climate change. The warm stagnant reservoirs behind the dams emit significant methane gas, which will end with breaching. After the dams have been breached, the restored vegetation along the 140 mile river corridor will sequester a lot more carbon than the current barren banks. Breaching will also bolster carbon storage in the forests and grasslands upstream of the dams, with more salmon bringing more nutrients to these inland areas. Breaching the lower Snake River dams will be a big boost to the Biden Administration's 30x30 program (protecting 30% of US lands and waters by 2030). A 140 mile corridor from Tri-Cities WA to Lewiston ID, over 14,000 acres of valuable wetlands and riparian areas will be restored, providing crucial habitat and connectivity for native wildlife and plants.
Indigenous Rights and Cultural Importance:
Salmon are a vital part of the culture, diet, and economy for many Indigenous tribes in the region. Breaching with lower Snake River dams would help honor treaties and agreements that guarantee fishing rights and support the cultural revival of these communities.
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