Celebrating World Orca Day with Orca Conservancy 

Orca Conservancy is a non-profit organization working on behalf of Orcinus orca, the killer whale, and protecting the endangered orcas and the wild places in which they live

Photo by Andre Estevez

 14 july ‘22

5  minutes

#COVERSTORY

To celebrate this year’s World Orca Day on July 14th, we are excited to introduce Orca Conservancy based in Seattle, Washington and share the story they so graciously shared with us!



Words by Emma Hastie


Orca Conservancy is a non-profit organization working on behalf of Orcinus orca, the killer whale, and protecting the endangered orcas and the wild places in which they live

Image source: @orcaconservancy


Orca Conservancy

Orca Conservancyis a Washington State 501c3 non-profit organization working on behalf of Orcinus orca, the killer whale, and protecting the wild places on which it depends.” Their “main focus is on the critically endangered Southern Residents who as of this writing only have 74 individuals remaining in the population.” Furthermore, their “goals are to enact meaningful action and policy that will not only recover the SRKWs, but also the wild salmon populations they rely on for survival.”This organization was “founded in 1996 as the Tokitae Foundation” with the mission “to return the L-Pod whale, Tokitae (Lolita) from the Miami SeaQuarium back to her family” in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. While this was all happening, “the Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) population was declining, and it became clear to the members more work was needed towards protecting and recovering the Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) population.” In 2000, “the organization officially changed its name…to Orca Conservancy, and since then the focus of the organization has been on protecting Orcinus orcas and protecting the wild places in which they depend,” but their “urgent attention continues to be focused on the critically endangered SRKWs.”

Even during the organization's shift from the Tokitae Foundation to Orca Conservancy, their “mission has consistently remained on the protection of all orcas” though they “understand that recovery can be a moving target.” With time, “research reveals new information and policies often change, so while our mission remains the same we do shift our initiatives and actions based on the most current information, what actions are needed, and what we believe will best serve the whales.”



Orca Conservancy is a non-profit organization working on behalf of Orcinus orca, the killer whale, and protecting the endangered orcas and the wild places in which they live

Image source: @orcaconservancy

Fibre For Good is a sustainable babywear brand  that uses organic natural colour cotton, a high quality material that is good for the planet and for our baby’s skin

Image source: @orcaconservancy


Maintaining their mission

When asked about how Orca Conservancy maintains their values and achieves their missions, they shared that “there are three major threats” to the Southern Resident killer whales, which include: “lack of prey, toxic pollution, and vessel noise.” Many of the conservancy’s “initiatives and projects…are centered around addressing these three major threats” affecting the SRKWs. “From projects like salmon habitat restoration, addressing the lack of prey and toxic pollution, to Be Whale Wise boater education, or the AI Hydrophone project to mitigate vessel disturbance,” the conservancy is doing “everything within [their] power to give these animals a fighting chance to thrive and be here for generations to come.” They “feel that by directly addressing the three biggest threats [they] will be able to achieve [their] mission to protect and recover this population.”

There are many other non-profit organizations “dedicated to the recovery of the SRKWs,” but “the majority of them work in very niche areas specific to things like research or education.” This is where Orca Conservancy differs from the majority. As specified, “where Orca Conservancy differs is that we work in multiple facets including tangible projects, education, research, legislation, and more.” They also recognize “ that with such a complex mission a single organization alone can’t fix all the problems, which is why [they] proudly partner and work with other organizations, businesses, and partners” who share similar missions “ranging from salmon and river recovery, to other orca focused NGOs.”




Defining sustainability 

When asked about how Orca Conservancy defines sustainability, they shared with us that they define sustainability “as the preservation of the ecosystem and communities for future generations to come.” They also shared that “as an organization dedicated to habitat conservation in order to recover endangered orcas, [they] have taken steps to establish [themselves] as a sustainable organization, including working remotely to limit carbon pollution from commuting, sourcing eco-friendly or sustainable merchandise and packaging, using equipment like electric generators during events, and advocating for green policies.” They also added that “sustainability direction overlaps with [their] mission because [their] goals are to protect the habitat that the orcas depend on.” Not only is sustainability “key to this mission,” but “in order to protect future generations, whether they are whales or our own children, we must find sustainable solutions.”

Orca Conservancy is a non-profit organization working on behalf of Orcinus orca, the killer whale, and protecting the endangered orcas and the wild places in which they live

Image source: @orcaconservancy

Image source: @orcaconservancy

Orca Conservancy is a non-profit organization working on behalf of Orcinus orca, the killer whale, and protecting the endangered orcas and the wild places in which they live

Photo by Adam Ernster

Orca Conservancy is a non-profit organization working on behalf of Orcinus orca, the killer whale, and protecting the endangered orcas and the wild places in which they live

Photo by Pixabay

Orca Conservancy is a non-profit organization working on behalf of Orcinus orca, the killer whale, and protecting the endangered orcas and the wild places in which they live

Image source: @orcaconservancy

Fibre For Good is a sustainable babywear brand  that uses organic natural colour cotton, a high quality material that is good for the planet and for our baby’s skin

Image source: @orcaconservancy


A constant battle

When it comes to the biggest challenge Orca Conservancy has faced thus far, they described how “the recovery efforts of a critically endangered species can at times feel like an uphill battle.” They also shared that “while many other organizations have well-meaning intentions, there is often disagreement on the best course of action and policy needed to recover the SRKWs, which can delay efforts and cause division amongst communities.” Another challenge is “navigating politics to find solutions that work for both the environment and local communities.” For example, “one of the biggest actions needed to safeguard the SRKW population is the breaching or removal of the 4 Lower Snake River dams (LSRD) to restore vital salmon runs that the orcas depend on,” but “there are communities and industries that depend on these dams.” Their “belief is that the solution lies in working with these communities to find alternatives that will best serve them to allow for dam removal and ensure that both habitat and local communities can flourish and that everyone should have a seat at the discussion table.” There are many angles at play, and Orca Conservancy is ensuring that all these angles are considered. 




Photo by Adam Ernster

Photo by  Pixabay



Why and how to get involved 

Orca Conservancy also shared that “a question we often receive is why should people care about protecting endangered orcas. We say that you can gauge the quality of an ecosystem by the success of its top predator. Here in the Salish Sea, the top predator is the orca whale, which includes a population that is struggling. Which means the ecosystem beneath it is struggling. We as humans tend to forget that we too are also dependent on that same ecosystem. By protecting the orcas, we are also protecting our own future generations.”


As for advice on how we can all get involved and take action, Orca Conservancy expressed that “there are actions big and small that people can do all over the world to make a difference for the SRKWs and the ecosystem as a whole.” For example, “voting for policies and representatives that align with causes you care about, reducing your carbon footprint, shopping local, voting with your dollar, [and] using eco-friendly products” are all things that will make a difference. “These are all things that seem small, but as a collective can all add up to make important change.” The organization also “encourages people to get involved with things that they care about” and “find a cause that is important and meaningful to you, and find ways that you can help, whether you donate or volunteer your time.”

There are many ways you can make an impact. Learn more about Orca Conservancyhere.




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