Posts by Colleen Weiler
Offshore Wind: Don’t Blow It
Recently, new areas were added to the growing list of potential sites for offshore wind development on both the East and West Coasts of the U.S. The Biden-Harris Administration announced the news with excitement, as these two areas – off the coast of Oregon and in the Central Atlantic – are part of the Administration’s…
Read MoreThere is Potentially a New Southern Resident Orca Calf from K Pod!
A hopeful and interesting update on the Southern Resident orcas: in late April, photos and video were taken of part of L and K pods off the coast of Oregon and shared with the Center for Whale Research. Among the familiar fins of K pod was a special sighting: an extra-small fin trailing close behind…
Read MoreKlamath River Dams Update: One Step Away from Finally Being Removed!
The Southern Resident orcas are a true “Pacific Northwest” community, living in the waters off British Columbia, Canada to Northern California, and relying almost totally on salmon – a cultural and ecological icon of this region. The orcas’ dependence on salmon means their future is deeply connected to the state of salmon in the Pacific…
Read MoreOregon Groups Request Additional Look Before Selecting Wind Development Areas
OREGON – WDC joined nine other national and Oregon-based conservation groups to submit a formal request to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), urging them to take a more comprehensive look at the marine life off our coast and the potential impact from offshore wind development. Multiple fishing groups also joined the letter, supporting…
Read MoreA happy ending for Tokitae (Lolita)? New Seaquarium owners commit to her retirement.
Tokitae, also called Lolita and named Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut by Washington State’s Lummi Nation, will no longer perform shows at the Miami Seaquarium, where she has been held since she was taken from her home waters in 1970. As a condition of the permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), new operators of the Florida facility…
Read MoreA New Calf Provides Hope for Endangered Southern Resident Orcas
Sara Hysong Shimazu (Hysazu Photography) GOOD NEWS – A new baby orca! On March 1st, observers with Washington State-based Center for Whale Research and Orca Behavior Institute were watching members of J pod of the Southern Resident orca community off San Juan Island and spotted a tiny dorsal fin amongst the more familiar orcas. The…
Read MoreIs an orca (killer whale) a whale or a dolphin?
Image taken from an unmanned hexacopter at >100ft during a research collaboration between NOAA/SWFSC, SR3 and the Coastal Ocean Research Institute. Research authorized by NMFS permit #19091. It’s one of the hottest topics we see discussed online, so please geek out about whales with us for a minute as we dive into the answer: what…
Read MoreLooking at the year ahead for Southern Resident orcas
Hysazu Photography I’m excited for 2022 – I’m optimistic that this is going to be the year we turn the tide for Southern Resident orcas, and I’m eager to dive in and keep propelling our efforts forward. We’ll need all hands on deck to make sure these amazing whales have what they need to survive.…
Read MoreExpedia No Longer Endorsing Interactions or Performances By Whales and Dolphins
WDC welcomes the news from online travel company Expedia Groups that they’ve updated their animal welfare policy to address captive-held whales and dolphins. Expedia will no longer sell activities for facilities that have interactions with or performances by whales and dolphins. This is a big step forward in the effort to end captivity for whales and…
Read MoreNorthwest elected leaders to assess breaching the Snake River dams
Southern Resident orcas need Snake River salmon, and a new announcement from key elected officials in the Pacific Northwest moves us one important step closer to restoring this critical source of food for these endangered orcas. This announcement follows years of campaigning by conservation groups including WDC, and a landmark proposal earlier this year by…
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