Southern Resident Killer Whale

• Protecting B.C.’s southern resident killer whales by asking more ships to slow down

  The program has expanded its voluntary ship slowdown at Swiftsure Bank, off Vancouver Island, to more effectively overlap with a “hot spot” of whale activity.

  Environment

  Jun 2, 2025
  
• J-Pod welcomes new orca calf, ‘a sign of hope’ for endangered southern residents

  The baby, born to J-Pod, was first spotted by a field biologist with the Center for Whale Research near Victoria Harbour on Sunday.

  Environment

  Apr 8, 2025
  
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• ‘She has lost someone dear’: Professor hopes orca’s ‘grief swim’ spurs ethics rethink

  In 2018, Tahlequah captured worldwide attention when she carried the body of a calf for 17 days.

  Environment

  Jan 18, 2025
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• ‘Surprising’ study finds more fish may not be key to orca survival

  A key assumption about dwindling numbers of southern resident killer whales pins the blame on a lack of salmon, but a study out of the University of British Columbia has found they have twice the number of chinook available in summer as their much healthier cousins, the northern residents.

  Environment

  Oct 14, 2024
• Newest southern resident orca calf missing and presumed dead, research centre says

  The Center for Whale Research said it last spotted the pod on Saturday, and was able to photograph every member of the group except for new calf J60.

  Environment

  Jan 30, 2024
• Toxic chemicals from oil spills, wildfire smoke found in B.C. killer whales

  The dangerous substances were found in the muscle and liver samples of six Bigg's killer whales and six southern resident killer whales, its endangered cousin. 

  Environment

  Dec 19, 2023
• B.C. scientists scooping killer whale poop to search for DNA

  The work is underway at what the foundation describes as a "cutting edge" genetics lab in West Vancouver, shared with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 

  Science

  Dec 7, 2023
• Man accused of following, posing with B.C. orcas, DFO investigating

  Photographer TJ Campbell said he saw the orcas and rushed down to the beach to get some shots of the pod, when he noticed a man in an aluminum boat in the water near the animals.

  Environment

  Jul 5, 2023
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• Federal approval of B.C. marine terminal faces dual legal challenges in Canada, U.S.

  Ottawa gave the green light to the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project last month, provided it meets hundreds of legally-binding conditions that minimize its risk to local ecosystems.

  Environment

  May 24, 2023
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• Chemical pollutant used in toilet paper found in endangered orcas, study reveals

  The team also found the pollutants were transferred from mother to baby in a pregnant southern resident killer whale whose tissue was analyzed. 

  Environment

  Jan 12, 2023