South Resident Orcas

In the eastern North Pacific, there are three populations of resident killer whales: Alaska residents, northern residents, and southern residents. The southern resident orcas have been spotted traveling the Washington and Oregon coasts.

Southern resident orcas’ diets rely on salmon, particularly Columbia River Chinook. While the wildlife department could release more hatchery salmon into the ocean, it would require more funding and capacity.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission has added orcas to the state’s endangered species list due to lack of prey and environmental contaminants. Three insecticides were noted by NOAA to harm salmon, two of which are now banned for residential use. The report finds even low levels of runoff from these three pesticides—chlorpyrifos, malathion, and diazinon—can cause abnormal development and impair the salmon’s ability to swim. The document suggests prohibiting the use of these pesticides near salmon habitats. https://www.opb.org/article/2024/02/16/oregon-lists-southern-resident-orcas-as-endangered-species/