7-26-2018
SAN JUAN ISLAND, Wash. — The first calf born in three years to the endangered orcas that spend time in Pacific Northwest waters died Tuesday, the latest troubling sign for a population already at its lowest in more than three decades.
A dead whale was seen being pushed to the surface by her mother just a half hour after it was spotted alive in the waters off the coast of Victoria, British Columbia.
The Center for Whale Research on San Juan Island, which closely tracks each individual whale, said the mother was seen propping the newborn on her forehead and trying to keep it near the surface of the water.
Sheida Sahandy, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Partnership (a state agency dedicated to restoring and protecting the Puget Sound), released this statement in response:
“This morning’s reported loss of yet another baby Southern Resident orca, and the near starvation of its sibling, highlights the urgency for action. The Governor took an important step in March by issuing an executive order to propel action to save the Southern Resident orca. A task force and multiple working groups have been working hard to find paths forward to implementing solutions to this complex problem. We applaud this effort and urge partners to come together to agree to recommendations, and for all those involved in the implementation to act with speed and focus that is equal to the magnitude of the potential loss at hand.”