killer whale

Many captains of large commercial vessels agreed to slow down in a stretch of northern Puget Sound shipping lanes where endangered orcas are frequently seen in the fall.

Captains of big ships eased up on the throttle during trial slowdown to help endangered orcas

Tom Banse

The majority of captains of big commercial ships entering and leaving Puget Sound are cooperating with a request to slow down temporarily to reduce underwater noise impacts to the Pacific Northwest's critically endangered killer whales. The duration of the experimental slowdown – modeled on a similar project in British Columbia – will be extended into the new year, organizers announced during a status report and celebration on the Seattle waterfront Friday.

Environment and Planning

Big ships transiting North Puget Sound asked to slow down, quiet down for orcas

Tom Banse

Big ships entering and leaving Puget Sound will be asked to temporarily slow down to reduce underwater noise this fall. Washington state is importing this strategy from British Columbia on a trial basis in hopes of helping the Pacific Northwest's critically endangered killer whales.

Comparison photos captured by research nonprofit SR3 showed endangered Pacific Northwest orca J36 is pregnant.

Environment and Planning

Babies on board! Three endangered Northwest killer whales look very pregnant in aerial photos

Tom Banse

Research photos taken with a drone show multiple female killer whales are close to giving birth in one of the Pacific Northwest's critically endangered pods. The late-stage pregnancies stirred excitement among whale watchers -- and also renewed worries about the availability of adequate food supply for the mothers and babies.

Environment and Planning

Pandemic gives Pacific Northwest whales a respite from din of underwater noise

Tom Banse

American and Canadian marine scientists -- and one talented dog -- are seizing an unexpected opportunity presented by the coronavirus pandemic. They are…

SeaWorld parks said it has no interest in turning over its captive orcas to the Whale Sanctuary Project.

Environment and Planning

Nonprofit gauges interest in San Juan Islands sanctuary for retired captive orcas

Tom Banse

An environmental nonprofit is gauging interest in the creation of an orca enclosure in Washington's San Juan Islands. The organization is hosting public…

Aerial photograph of adult female Southern Resident killer whale J16 with her calf (J50) in 2015, when the calf was in its first year of life.

Environment and Planning

Veterinarians grapple with how to save young orca: salmon laced with meds or syringe

Tom Banse

An emaciated orca from the Pacific Northwest’s critically-endangered resident killer whale population could get a pole injection of medicine under the…

Environment and Planning

Starving 4-year-old orca may get delivery of live salmon

An emaciated, 4-year-old Pacific Northwest orca is drawing alarm.NOAA Fisheries spokesman Michael Milstein said feeding live Chinook salmon to the female…

Environment and Planning

Call Goes Out Again To Big Ships To Slow Down For Killer Whales

Tom Banse

The call is going out again to the operators and pilots of big ships to slow down in the shared border waters between Washington and British Columbia. The…

Environment and Planning

Not Too Late To Save Critically Endangered Orcas Say State Leaders And Feds

Tom Banse

The Pacific Northwest’s beloved orcas will not survive unless humans do more to ensure adequate food and cleaner, quieter waters. That was one of the…

Environment and Planning

Endangered Orcas Are Starving. Should We Start Feeding Them?

Tom Banse

Washington state officials have proposed a new tack to save the Pacific Northwest's critically endangered orca population. Their idea is to boost salmon…