By: Paxton Rizzo
The Southern Resident Orcas, or Killer Whales as they are more commonly known, are one of the most critically endangered marine mammals in the United States.[1] Currently, their population is at its lowest in three decades with only seventy-four individuals remaining.[2] Since 2005, the Southern Resident Orcas have been on the endangered species list[3] and are protected by the Endangered Species Act.[4]
Three distinct pods of orcas make up the clan that is referred to as the Southern Resident Orcas. Those three pods are J, K, and L pods. Each pod has its own distinct dialect.[5] These pods fall into a specific category of orca known as Resident Orcas and are differentiated from other types of orcas, (Transient and Offshore) because, they do not migrate as much; they have unique dialects amongst pods and communicate frequently; and they hunt primarily fish.[6] The Southern Resident Orcas’ diet consists of mainly salmon (80%).[7] They spend most of the warmer months hunting salmon in the Puget Sound between Canada and the United States and in the winter have been found as far North as Alaska and as far South as Monterey, California.[8] Being tied to a specific area or habitat is an element in the Southern Resident classification as endangered.[9] Many factors of the Southern Resident Orcas’ population and environment place them under the Endangered Species Act, such as the pollution of the water and their food source and the depletion of their primary food source as a result of man made mechanisms such as dams.[10]
Since being classified as endangered in 2005, conservation efforts, though underway even before then, have increased and from the beginning, technology has been utilized in trying to learn about and understand the orcas. Until a few years back, a common form of technology used to learn about the orcas was a satellite tracker.[11] The tracker would be tagged onto the orcas dorsal fin, by piercing their skin, allowing researchers to track how far the orca traveled in a day, week, or month and where exactly they went.[12] In 2016, researchers were trying to learn where the orcas went in the winter so they would be better able to protect them by expanding the area[13] protected for the orcas under the Endangered Species Act.[14] On a tagging mission, a mistake happened that ended several weeks later with a whale succumbing to a bacterial infection.[15] After that, researchers felt a need to find better ways to monitor the orcas.[16]
Today, researchers use a variety of devices to monitor and track the Orcas such as passive acoustic monitors, digital acoustic tags and aerial drones.[17] Unlike the previous satellite tags, the digital acoustic tags attach by suction cups and track the movements of the orca and the sounds it makes and hears; three studies are underway that will be using this technology to learn about the Southern Resident’s time in their summer habitat.[18] Aerial drones allow researchers to view the Orcas from above and take picture of them.[19] By using this method Researchers have been able to observe how the orcas weight fluctuates.[20] Being able to see the orcas from above gives researchers a better angle to gauge orcas’ weight than the previous method of looking at them from the side, where their figure is harder to observe.[21] This method of tracking the orcas weight has been especially helpful in determining which orcas are pregnant and which orcas may be sick.[22] This gives them the opportunity to respond quickly in any attempt they may launch to save the orca.[23] Most notably, this year when observing orca J50, (affectionately known as Scarlet) researchers noticed that, though she had always been small, her fat stores were depleting quickly.[24] Researchers were able to react by giving her medication and attempting to get her food to eat.[25] They had come up with other creative plans to try and save her when it was determined, after not seeing her for awhile that she may be dead.[26]
Currently, the data collected from the technology used to track and monitor the orcas as well as stool samples,[27] are informing a governor’s task force in Washington State. They soon will release recommendations on what changes and long-term solutions need to be made and implemented in order to try and save the Southern Resident orcas.[28]
[1] See Southern Resident Orcas, Endangered Species Coalition http://www.endangered.org/campaigns/southern-resident-orcas/ (last visited Nov. 10, 2018).
[2] See Drones Helping Scientist Track Orca Health, king5.com https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/drones-helping-scientists-track-orca-health/281-599245989 (last visited Nov. 9 2018).
[3] See Southern Resident Orcas, supra note 1.
[4] 16 USCS § 1531 (LexisNexis Current current through PL 115-269, approved 10/16/18).
[5] See Southern Resident Orcas, supra note 1.
[6] See Charles Q. Choi, New Killer Whale Species Proposed, Live Science (April 26, 2010, at 3:18 AM, ET), https://www.livescience.com/9893-killer-whale-species-proposed.html
[7] See Southern Resident Orcas, supra note 1.
[8] FAQ About the Southern Resident Endangered Orcas, The Whale Museum https://whalemuseum.org/pages/frequently-asked-questions-about-the-southern-resident-endangered-orcas (last visited Nov. 10, 2018).
[9] See16 USCS § 1533 Current through PL 115-269, approved 10/16/18.
[10] See Id, see also Southern Resident Orcas, supra note 1.
[11] See Craig Welch, Orca Killed by Satellite Tag Leads to Criticism of Science Practices, National Geographic (Oct 6, 2016), https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/10/orca-killed-by-satellite-tag-l59/.
[12] See id.
[13] See id.
[14] See16 USCS § 1533(b)(2) Current through PL 115-269, approved 10/16/18.
[15] See id.
[16] See id.
[17] See Spotlight on the Southern Resident Killer Whale – An Interview with NOAA Fisheries Biologist Lynne Barre, NOAA Fisheries (Feb. 13, 2018), https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/video/spotlight-southern-resident-killer-whale-interview-noaa-fisheries-biologist-lynne.
[18] See Using DTAGs to study acoustics and behavior of Southern Resident killer whales, Northwest Fisheries Science Center https://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/cb/ecosystem/marinemammal/dtags.cfm (last visited Nov. 10, 2018).
[19] See Drones Helping Scientist supra note 2.
[20] See id.
[21] See id.
[22] See id.
[23] See id.
[24] See Lynda V. Mapes, Orca J50 presumed dead but NOAA continues search, The Seattle Times (Sept. 24, 2018, at 7:57 PM), https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/orca-j50-declared-dead-after-search-southern-residents-down-to-74-whales/.
[25] See id.
[26] See id.
[27] See Spotlight on the Southern Resident Killer Whale supra note 16.
[28] See Task force unveils ‘potential recommendations’ to save killer whales, king5.com https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/task-force-unveils-potential-recommendations-to-save-killer-whales/281-597973069 (last visited Nov. 9, 2018).
Image Source: https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/drones-helping-scientists-track-orca-health/281-599245989