Posts by Colleen Weiler
Big win for orcas – the Klamath River dams are coming down
Even though Thanksgiving here in the U.S. isn’t until next week, we are thankful for some good news on the efforts to take down four dams on the Klamath River! This is a vital step to restoring abundant salmon in the river and boosting the food available for endangered Southern Resident orcas. On November 17th,…
Read MoreEnding whale and dolphin captivity in the US – how our fight continues
We’ve been thrilled to share happy news with you recently about our work to end captivity. Those two awesome belugas, Little White and Little Grey have been exploring their new sanctuary home and France is ending whale and dolphin captivity. These stories have shone some light into these difficult times. But sadly things are not…
Read MoreNew babies bring hope for endangered Southern Resident orcas
A silver lining of this strange year was the news that Tahlequah, the orca who touched hearts worldwide two years ago as she mourned the loss of her newborn calf, was pregnant again. Now we are celebrating two new babies in the population… Your donation will help protect these amazing orcas. YES. I’LL DONATE. In…
Read MoreTahlequah’s Pregnancy and Why I’m Cautiously Optimistic
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #19091 SR3/NOAA/SEA The summer of 2018 was perhaps one of the most stressful summers I have had during my time working to protect Southern Resident orcas, a unique and highly endangered community of orcas who live in the waters off the west coast of the U.S. and Canada. That summer,…
Read MoreEveryone can be an Orca Hero!
Orca Action Month is an annual time to gather the human community of the Pacific Northwest around the endangered Southern Resident orca population, sharing their story and taking action to support their recovery. June is always a busy month for me. Normally, it’s filled with traveling to festivals with our partners in Seattle, joining groups…
Read MoreOrca Action Month goes online!
Whamily, it’s almost that time again – time to celebrate, honor, and dive in to actions to help Southern Resident orcas in our annual Orca Action Month festivities. This year is going to look a little different. Along with the health of the Southern Resident orcas, the health of our communities is a top priority,…
Read MoreMoving in the wrong direction: new application would bring belugas to US marine parks
Earlier this year, WDC celebrated the passage of a landmark law to ban whale and dolphin captivity in Canada. But we’re already faced with a new battle to make sure this law is upheld, and that it truly moves us closer to ending captivity worldwide. Take Action! You can help oppose Mystic Aquarium’s application and…
Read MoreFalse killer whale, Kina, dies at Sea Life Park
We’re very sad to share the news that Kina, the false killer whale held at Hawaii’s Sea Life Park, has died unexpectedly this week. An examination will be performed but the results will not be known for a few months. Kina was the last survivor of Japan’s drive hunts in the U.S. She was captured…
Read More5 Year Fight for Critical Habitat for Southern Resident orcas
Orcas off the Olympic Coast of Washington (National Marine Sanctuaries) Expanding critical habitat for Southern Resident orcas was one of the first things I started working on when I joined WDC as the Jessica Rekos Fellow for Orca Conservation more than five years ago. And now, over five years later – it’s here! Last week,…
Read MoreSouthern Resident Orca Scat Project: update from the field
Dr. Giles, a scientist with the Orca Scat Project, and CK9 Eba on the scent during a training run Dr. Giles, researcher with the Orca Scat Project, part of the Conservation Canines program with the University of Washington’s Center for Biological Diversity, gives us an update from the field and a recap of what the…
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