Southern Resident Orca Task Force: Final report and recommendations
Item
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Title
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Southern Resident Orca Task Force: Final report and recommendations
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Description
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Report from Cascadia Consulting Group discusses the purpose and progress of the task force to develop recommendations addressing the decline of the Southern Resident orca population and the threats of extinction due to less Chinook salmon, disturbance from traffic, toxic contaminants, and climate change and population growth.
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Contributor
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Les Purce
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Stephanie Solien
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Abstract
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The power, beauty, intelligence and grace of the Southern Resident orca touch us all. How thrilling for locals and visitors alike to glimpse a pod of Southern Residents frolicking in the waters of the Salish Sea or the Pacific Ocean. How privileged we are to experience an orca sighting whether from land, by boat or even as a ferry passenger! Orcas — especially our Southern Residents — connect us to the beauty and bounty of nature and remind us of the interconnectedness of all living things. Today, the iconic Southern Resident orca population is in decline and threatened with extinction. Despite federal and state endangered species protections, the population has dropped to only 73 individuals — the lowest level in over four decades. These orcas face several complex threats: lack of Chinook salmon (their primary food source), disturbance from noise and vessel traffic, toxic contaminants, the emerging impacts of climate change and the cumulative effects of continuous population growth across the region.
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Date
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11/2019
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pages
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196
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Language
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en
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Publisher
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Cascadia Consulting Group
