Killer whales have been a fixture in the news for many years. The number of orcas in captivity sits at about 60 and has long been the focus of animal welfare advocates and media. In July 2018, a story traveled the media circuit of a grieving orca mother carrying her dead calf for days.
It’s a heartbreaking story, but it’s not the only source of news for that orca’s particular pod. In the same month, it was announced the Southern Resident killer whale population in the Pacific Northwest had dropped to a 30-year-low: 75 whales. The Tacoma News Tribune reported the number was around 100 in the 1990s.
It’s scary and disturbing to know the Southern Resident numbers are continuing to decline. According to the census, no calves were born over the past three years, which didn’t help.
But, a lack of productivity isn’t what’s decimating the pods’ population. It’s something far more dangerous: Humans. Pollution, both new and old, is making an impact on the whales’ environment and main source of food, Chinook salmon, whose numbers are also shrinking due to habitat changes, harvest rates and other factors, according to the EPA. A NOAA biologist says the Southern Residents are “among the most contaminated marine mammals in the world.”
Plus, there’s the TransMountain Pipeline that’s about to expand by 600 miles and run straight through the orcas’ home, leading to noise pollution and potential spills that could devastate the population even more.
Recovery efforts are underway, though. NOAA is working with other organizations to help the species recover, although it’s going much slower than anyone had hoped. Expanded efforts can help save these beautiful creatures, and a public relations firm like Orange Orchard can help make that happen.
We know there are organizations out there fighting to make a difference, but you can’t do it alone. We can get your message out to the masses, which can lead to collaborations, donations and more. A good PR campaign will also help educate society on what they can do to help. Most of all, it can lead to helping those who need you most: the non-human inhabitants of this world’s oceans and lands.
Give us a call and let us help you save this beautiful world we’re living in.