How can we save the southern resident Orcas?
Salmon hunters of the Salish Sea
Unlike other orca populations, the Southern Residents are specialized to exclusively hunt salmon. While other groups of orcas may eat marine mammals or sharks, on average 99 percent of a Southern Resident orca's diet is comprised of salmon, particularly Chinook salmon. But stocks have plummeted.
Of the 9000 different populations of salmon on the BC coastline, many need help to thrive. The Canadian Orca Rescue Society (CORS) aims to restore natural spawning grounds and hatcheries that foster indigenous salmon populations. Restoration hatcheries preserve the wild genetic stock of each individual river population in its natural waters.
Restoration of salmon grounds begins at the watershed. Old-growth forests provide the best conditions for salmon streams to thrive. Many streams need restoration to create the conditions needed for salmon fry to survive. A moratorium of old-growth logging in BC would help salmon stocks recover.
Meantime, CORS is helping foster Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCA) for ancient ecosystems. Old-growth forests are the sort of preservation challenge the IPCA was designed for, an elegant solution to a thorny problem. Pacheedaht elder, Bill Jones believes it is “likely the most fair and effective solution to the current impasse.”
Orca Club - School Membership
Set up an Orca Club in your school. Our conservation education module includes films and Orca conservation activities for students. We will visit your school to talk about Orcas and present VR films on VR headsets.
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