killer whales Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

Wildlife Managers To Northwest Seals And Sea Lions: Stop Eating So Much Salmon … Or Else

By Tom Banse April 12, 2019

Sea lions have been eating steelhead and other fish at Willamette Falls in ever greater numbers.Photo courtesy of ODFW

Politicians and wildlife managers are engaged in a fresh debate about whether to intervene in nature to save an imperiled species. The question is whether humans can get seals and sea lions to lay off Chinook salmon so there's more for killer whales to eat. Read More

Fisheries Managers Face Mixed Forecast For Northwest Salmon, Concerns Over Endangered Orca

By Jes Burns March 11, 2019

Fish trap operators can pick out the hatchery salmon for harvest and release the wild salmon so they can return to their spawning grounds. CREDIT: CASSANDRA PROFITA/OPB

About this time every year, the Pacific Northwest gets a report card from the natural world. It comes in the form of salmon run forecasts, and gives us an indication of how healthy the Pacific Ocean and our rivers and streams are.The grades are in, and here’s what you need to know about our scores. Read More

Another Puget Sound Orca Struggles, But 3 Others Are Pregnant

By John Ryan September 30, 2018

Drone photography reveals the bulging midriffs of pregnant orcas in 2015 and 2018. NOAA/SWFSC

The lean profile of the whale known as K25 is yet another sign of trouble for the region’s endangered orcas. Since last November, three members of the long-endangered population have died, most recently an emaciated young female known as J50. Continue Read More

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's orca task force met in Wenatchee this week to come up with a long-term plan to help the recovery of the orca population that spends much of its time in or around the Puget Sound. Continue Reading Can Washington Make A Plan To Save The Read More

Wildlife Managers To Northwest Seals And Sea Lions: Stop Eating So Much Salmon … Or Else

Fisheries Managers Face Mixed Forecast For Northwest Salmon, Concerns Over Endangered Orca

Another Puget Sound Orca Struggles, But 3 Others Are Pregnant

Efforts Continue To Save ‘Critically Endangered’ J-50 Orca, But It May Be Too Late

Canadian Judge Halts Tar Sands Pipeline, Citing Impacts To Puget Sound Orcas

Can Washington Make A Plan To Save The Orcas?