the WHALE Report
June // 2022
CWR Member News // Published Quarterly
Aerial Observation Study footage of T60, T60F, T60G, T60C, T2B, and T59 was taken during Center for Whale Research Encounter #56, August 23, 2021.
Overhead
or at
Water level
Both perspectives drive the Center for Whale Research’s day-to-day scientific research.
Photographs and videos are taken under Center for Whale Research Federal Permit NMFS #21238.
CWR’s Dave Ellifrit is capturing Orca ID shots from the Center for Whale Research vessel, Orcinus.
QUOTABLE
It is crucial that killer whale research continues in the Salish Sea. While CWR’s observations span many decades, we still have not spanned the entire lifespan of a female killer whale. By monitoring the population’s social structure and demography and applying new data collection and analysis methods, we can continue to expand our understanding of these killer whales [orcas], improve our scientific understanding of animal social evolution, and uncover essential information for population recovery.
Center for Whale Research’s (CWR) Research Director Dr. Michael Weiss’ final paragraph in Why ORCA RESEARCH Matters. He’s explaining why the continued study of Salish Sea orcas is vitally important.
in this issue of
the WHALE Report
QUOTABLE // from the SCIENCE Desk // 2022 SIGHTINGS update
SRKW NEWS // getting to KNOW US
All photographs, videos, and information on WhaleResearch.com are Copyright © 2022 Center for Whale Research.
from the SCIENCE Desk
University of Exeter Ph.D. student Mia Lybkaer Kronborg Nielsen and CWR’s Research Director Dr. Michael Weiss examine UAV/drone video of orcas in CWR’s San Juan Island offices in May 2022. Read Nielsen’s CWR Blog: New evidence of menopause in Bigg’s Transient killer whales.
Why ORCA RESEARCH matters
Center for Whale Research’s new Research Director, Dr. Michael Weiss, explains why the ongoing study of Salish Sea orcas is essential.
CWR photo-identification expert Dave Ellifrit takes a right side ID shot of Bigg’s orca T87 (below) on May 13, 2022, during ORCA SURVEY Encounter #23.
To understand the drivers and consequences of natural processes, scientists need to observe and record that process over relevant timescales. For researchers studying animal populations, this means collecting data on those animals throughout a lifespan or, ideally, over multiple lifespans. When these animals are long-lived, like many large mammals, this can mean several decades of research are needed. That has been the goal of the Center for Whale Research (CWR) for the last 46 years: to understand and conserve the Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) population through long-term, individual-based scientific research.
Through the ORCA SURVEY program, the primary goal of the Center for Whale Research has been to provide an up-to-date census of the Southern Resident killer whale community. This data is ultimately what scientists and managers use to assess the status and trends of this endangered population over time. The information has been crucial for establishing conservation planning in this population. CWR’s census provided the data to identify the SRKW’s small population size and their decline in the 1990s, ultimately leading to the whales being listed as endangered. This same data revealed key correlations between the Southern Residents’ survival, reproduction, and social cohesion and the abundance of Chinook salmon, which identified salmon recovery as the key conservation action for the SRKWs.
In the last decade, the Center for Whale Research’s long-term data has revealed even more factors driving killer whale survival and identified risk factors in the population. CWR research has shown that even adult killer whales are dependent on their mothers and grandmothers and suffer increased mortality risk when they lose these key family members. Further analysis showed that male killer whales are dependent on their wider social circle: socially integrated males have greater survival probabilities than more peripheral individuals. These social effects, especially the effect of grandmothers and social integration, interact with salmon abundance: social relationships are more important when times are hard. The critical role of social relationships in determining killer whale fitness may have important implications for this population’s trajectories. If the population begins losing mothers and grandmothers during periods when salmon is sparse, we could see a rapid population decline.
While the last several decades have taught us many things about the Southern Residents, there is still much to learn. And what we don’t know may be crucial. While we know that social relationships and prey abundance influence orca survival, we don’t yet fully understand the interplay between ecology, demography, and social structure.
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How do deaths and births change social relationships?
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What are the health consequences for the orcas that remain?
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How does the dependence of individuals on their mothers influence the trajectory of the population?
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What are the long-term effects of reduced social cohesion for the population?
These questions are crucial for fully understanding the state of the SRKW population and setting conservation goals—and will take many more years of data collection and analysis. One of the key tasks right now is to determine which salmon runs have the most influence on killer whale vital rates, which is challenging in a small population with a slow life history. We need to continue the long-term census of the Southern Residents to eventually determine the fine-scale correlates of survival and fecundity in this population.
In addition to continued long-term monitoring, the Center for Whale Research is utilizing new methods to piece together a better picture of killer whale society and its consequences on individuals and populations. Using aerial observations, CWR measures and analyzes fine-scale social interactions, including affiliative social contact, aggression, and prey sharing. This data will be used to determine what drives social relationships and the consequences of particular kinds of social relationships for individual survival and reproduction. Supplementing this, CWR has used intensive image analysis to determine what drives differences in injuries received from conspecifics (“rake marks”) in these killer whales.
While the Southern Residents are the main subjects of CWR’s research, we also conduct regular surveys and observations of Bigg’s [Transient] killer whales. Through these observations, we are beginning to understand the shifting ecology and social structure of this thriving population and better understand their society and life history. This data is both scientifically valuable and important for conservation. It provides a nearly ideal test of many hypotheses about social evolution developed from Resident killer whales. But studying a population of killer whales with many of the same anthropogenic pressures (pollution and noise) but very different ecology and prey availability, CWR and our collaborators can better understand how these factors impact the Southern Residents.
It is crucial that killer whale research continues in the Salish Sea. While CWR’s observations span many decades, we still have not spanned the entire lifespan of a female killer whale. By monitoring the population’s social structure and demography and applying new data collection and analysis methods, we can continue to expand our understanding of these killer whales [orcas], improve our scientific understanding of animal social evolution, and uncover essential information for population recovery.
Dr. Michael Weiss flying CWR’s UAV/drone with Mia Lybkaer Kronborg Nielsen’s assistance during UAV Encounter #2, May 6, 2022.
UAV/drone video footage of the T124s traveling and searching for prey; shortly after this video, they made a Harbor seal kill near Yellow Island (UAV Encounter #5, May 13, 2022)
Center for Whale Research AREAS OF STUDY
The Center for Whale Research’s scientists, staff, and volunteers—with your financial support—have studied the Southern Resident and Bigg’s (Transient) orcas in the Pacific Northwest for FIVE DECADES. In addition, we’ve continuously advocated for the best interests of the gravely endangered Southern Resident orcas.
The CWR team’s commitment to these iconic marine mammals persists today. Our primary goals in 2022 are to continue our essential orca studies while informing decision-makers to make the best choices for the benefit of the Southern Residents: to provide our whales with more wild Chinook salmon in a healthier ocean environment.
ORCA SURVEY
Since 1976, the Center for Whale Research has conducted observation-based studies of killer whales in the Salish Sea. Staff continues to collect detailed demographic data about the Southern Resident killer whale population for the 2022 ORCA SURVEY. This survey includes photo-identification images of members of the SRKW community, observations of births and deaths, and information about the behavior and ecology of the animals, including where the animals are in geographic location and time, their social behavior, and foraging patterns. The dataset provides unprecedented insights into killer whale biology and ecology that can inform management decisions to assist in the recovery of the population.
Aerial Observation Study
The Center for Whale Research-University of Exeter Aerial Observation Study uses drones (i.e., unmanned aerial vehicles/UAVs) to study the Southern Resident and Bigg’s (Transient) killer whales’ social organization and underwater behavior from a new perspective. This study helps better understand the orca ecotypes’ complex lives, revealing factors that influence survival, reproduction, social structure, and the evolution of these species’ unique life history. The study was expanded in 2019, becoming part of a large international project examining the link between social structure and life history in animal populations. CWR Scientific Advisor (Animal Social Networks) and Professor of Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter, Dr. Darren Croft, summarizes the project: The Evolution of Sex Differences in Mammalian Social Life Histories.
Read about the Center for Whale Research-University of Exeter Aerial Observation Study. The Bigg’s (Transient) killer whale component of the study is done in collaboration with University of Exeter Ph.D. student Mia Nielsen. Read Mia’s July 2021 CWR Blog: New evidence of menopause in Bigg’s Transient killer whales.
RECENT Published Studies
Using drone video footage collected as part of the Center for Whale Research-University of Exeter Aerial Observation Study, CWR’s Dr. Michael Weiss led a team of researchers from the United Kingdom, Italy, and the USA to explore the social lives of orcas. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, is entitled: Age and sex influence social interactions, but not associations, within a killer whale pod. The research team included the University of York, University of Washington, and Institute of Biophysics; the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) provided partial study funding.
Age and sex influence social interactions, but not associations, within a killer whale pod published in May 2021 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B by authors Weiss, M. N., Franks, D. W., Giles, D. A., Youngstrom, S., Wasser, S. K., Balcomb, K. C., Ellifrit, D. K., Domenici, P., Cant, M. A., Ellis, S., Nielsen, M. L. K., Grimes, C., and Croft, D. P. The opening lines of the summary read: “Social structure is a fundamental aspect of animal populations. In order to understand the function and evolution of animal societies, it is important to quantify how individual attributes, such as age and sex, shape social relationships.”
Visit Research Publications at WhaleResearch.com to see a list of other publications where the Center for Whale Research has had involvement, including:
The effect of age, sex, and resource abundance on patterns of rake markings in resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) published in January 2022 in Marine Mammal Science by authors Grimes, C., Brent, L. J. N., Weiss, M. N., Franks, D. W., Balcomb, K. C., Ellifrit, D. K., Ellis, S., and Croft, D. P. The opening lines of the Abstract read: “Fluctuations in aggressive behavior of group-living species can reflect social conflict and competition for resources faced by individuals throughout their lifespan and can negatively impact survival and reproduction. In marine mammals, where social interactions are difficult to observe, tooth rake marks can be used as an indicator of received aggression.”
A long postreproductive life span is a shared trait among genetically distinct killer whale populations published in May 2021 in Ecology and Evolution by authors Nielsen, M. L. K., Ellis, S., Towers, J. R., Doniol-Valcroze, T., Franks, D. W., Cant, M. A., Weiss, M. N., Johnstone, R. A., Balcomb, K. C., Ellifrit, D. K., and Croft, D. P. The opening lines of the Conclusion read: “In conclusion, when taken together with previous work, our findings support the hypothesis that kinship dynamics play a key role in the evolution of a prolonged postreproductive life span in killer whales. However, contrary to our predictions, the timing and expected duration of the postreproductive life span did not vary with the dispersal pattern from the natal group, which likely represents different costs and benefits of helping and harming in the two ecotypes.”
Mixture models as a method for comparative sociality: social networks and demographic change in resident killer whales published in April 2021 in the Ecology and Sociobiology by authors Ellis, S., Franks, D. W., Weiss, M. N., Cant, M. A., Domenici, P., Balcomb, K. C., Ellifrit, D. K., and Croft, D. P.
SIGHTINGS update
2022 Encounter summary
J40 showed her mouthful of teeth and massive tongue
CWR Member DOWNLOAD
For personal use only.
Encounter Location: Haro Strait
Part of Encounter Summary:
J37 was pushing her new calf around and we were able to document that J59 is a female! There were a lot of tail lobs, pec slaps, and several random spyhops. There was also an occasional burst of speed and several tightly packed whales would do a few lunges with much rolling and heavy contact between individuals. We saw one whale get smacked in the face by another’s fluke. At one point, we saw J40 raise her head above the water and open her mouth wide while interacting with other whales. Read all of ORCA SURVEY Encounter #28.
J40 with her mouth open
Encounter #28 with J pod // May 26, 2022
(Photograph by CWR’s Dave Ellifrit).
SIGHTINGS
MAP
See whaleresearch.com
2022 Encounters for a complete description of the Encounters.
Encounters in 2022 (March 8-June 12):
16 ORCA SURVEY Encounters
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Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) Encounters: 3
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Bigg’s (Transient) killer whale Encounters: 13
7 Aerial Observation Study Encounters (May 1-31, 2022)
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Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) Encounters: 0
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Bigg’s (Transient) killer whale Encounters: 7
Encounters with killer whales in inland waters from March 8-June 12 are marked on the map. ORCA SURVEY Encounters with Southern Residents are marked with blue locator dots and Bigg’s (Transients) with black locator dots. Aerial Observation Study Encounters are indicated by green locator dots. Numbered locator dots are active links to the full Encounter Summary (desktop version only).
Southern Resident Killer Whale Population: 73*
J pod = 24, K pod = 16, L pod = 33
With L125’s birth in January 2021 and the deaths of L47 and K21, the Southern Resident orca population as of December 31, 2021, was 73 whales.
*The official annual count of Southern Resident orcas is reported on July 1 and December 31. CWR’s Ken Balcomb explains why there are two counts in this YouTube video.
Southern Resident Orca Population Census
(December 31, 2021)
Click the graph to enlarge
Copyright © 2021 Center for Whale Research.
Derivative use requires written approval.
SRKW NEWS
Possible new calf in K pod
The Center for Whale Research is aware of a video posted by the YouTube channel, The Guide’s Forecast, taken off Pacific City on April 28, of members of K pod, including what appears to be a very young calf associating with K20. This calf would be the first viable baby born into K pod since K44 in 2011.
CWR plans to document the calf during our photographic surveys so that we can assess its health, confirm the identity of its mother, and assign it an alphanumeric designation.
K20's new calf?
As you watch The Guide’s Forecast video above, look for the tiny dorsal fin of a new calf at time locations: :57 and 1:24.
getting to KNOW US
a video discussion with CWR’s new Research Director, Dr. Michael Weiss
Dr. Michael Weiss aboard one of CWR’s research vessels.
Meet all of the Center for Whale Research staff.
In most issues of the WHALE Report, we feature a Center for Whale Research staff member or volunteer. This time around, we focus on CWR’s new Research Director, Dr. Michael Weiss. He assumed this role in May 2022.
The CWR Board of Directors enthusiastically welcomes Michael to our whale-dedicated mission. It is imperative that we continue the important demographic and behavioral research that we have done for 46 years, and Dr. Weiss is the perfect person to lead it. Welcome, Dr. Michael Weiss.”
— Ken Balcomb, May 2022
More about Dr. Michael Weiss
Michael received his Bachelor’s degree in biology from Reed College in 2016, following the completion of a thesis on Southern Resident killer whales’ [orcas’] social structure. After completing his undergraduate work on the Southern Residents, he approached Ken Balcomb about expanding his analysis using the Center for Whale Research’s extensive database. After reviewing his thesis, Ken and the U.K.’s University of Exeter’s Dr. Darren Croft (CWR’s Scientific Advisor - Animal Social Networks) invited him to come on board as a Ph.D. student.
Michael completed his Ph.D. in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter in 2020. His Ph.D. focused on the evolutionary and conservation consequences of Southern Resident killer whales’ social structure using the Center for Whale Research’s long-term dataset and new data collected from unmanned aerial observation.
Michael is an FAA-licensed commercial UAS pilot (i.e., drone pilot). Read his blog, A bird’s-eye view of orcas! How, when, and why? where he talks about what it’s like to fly a drone over top of whales and the new knowledge gained from the captured video footage.
Question (Q): When and how did you become interested in cetaceans?
Dr. Michael Weiss (MW): I was born and raised in Florida, where I think my interest started from watching Bottlenose dolphins swim by my house. Even as a kid, it was easy to get a sense from their behavior that some complicated things were happening in dolphin society. I desperately wanted to figure it out.
Q: How do you maintain a fact-based focus on the Southern Resident orcas when their survival is more at risk every day?
MW: I’ve been around the Salish Sea orcas for nearly a decade, so I’ve watched the ongoing decline of the Southern Resident community with great sadness. I firmly believe that science-based decision-making, paired with political will and action, is the only thing that is going to save these whales.
Q: Do you have a favorite orca encounter?
MW: My favorite is probably from a few years back, when I was watching whales from Lime Kiln [San Juan Island]. J pod, the K14s, and L87 passed by in a tight group very close to shore. What made this encounter particularly special was it was the first time I was able to recognize every whale by sight. Knowing the individuals creates a special kind of connection that’s hard to explain. Individual recognition of orcas is very powerful.
getting to KNOW THEM:
Bigg’s (Transient)
T60 and T60F swimming near Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, on January 27, 2022 (Encounter #10). Photograph by CWR’s Mark Malleson.
We include matrilineal information about Bigg’s (Transient) orcas CWR has seen in the Salish Sea in each issue of the WHALE Report.
T60 matriline
The T60 matriline includes six whales. Members of this family were seen more frequently in 2021 than any other Bigg’s orcas. T2B often travels with the T60s. T60D and T60E are not currently traveling with the rest of the T60s. The pair have been associating with other whales for a couple of years and only occasionally with their family. See Orca IDentification and learn more about identifying individual whales.
Matriarch: T60
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Female; est. born in 1980
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Five living offspring: T60C, T60D, T60E, T60F, and T60G
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Identified by three small indentations on her spine over the saddle that gives her spine a serrated look
Offspring: T60C
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Male; born in 2001
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Identified by its tall dorsal fin, sporting a nick 1/3 of the way down the trailing edge and an indentation near the forward tip
Offspring: T60D
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Male; born in 2004
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Identified by its pointy and still-growing dorsal fin
Offspring: T60E
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Male; born in 2008
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Identified by two nicks in its dorsal fin: near the tip and halfway down the trailing edge
Offspring: T60F
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Female; born in 2012
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Identified by a small nick on her spine near the base of her dorsal
Offspring: T60G
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Sex unknown; born in 2019
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Identified by its triangular but slightly rounded dorsal fin.
Watch CBC TV’s 1989 interview with Dr. Bigg: Island of Whales.
Why are they called Bigg’s?
In the early years of the individual identification study, these whales—which we know now represent a distinct mammal-eating ecotype—were infrequently seen in the Salish Sea study area; hence were called “transient.”
Bigg’s was added to their name to recognize Dr. Michael Bigg, who pioneered the Photo-ID technique to document free-swimming whales’ population size and structure. Bigg suffered ridicule in parts of the scientific community for maintaining that virtually all individual orcas could be known.
Photo Gallery - T60s
 T60 (Encounter #10: January 27, 2022)Photograph by Joe Zelwietro |  T60 Porpoising (Encounter #82: October 9, 2021)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |  The group orients toward T60, carrying a recently caught seal (Encounter #56: August 23, 2021)Aerial Observation Study (UAV/drone) |
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 T60G, T60, and T60F (Encounter #3: January 10, 2021)Photograph by Mark Malleson |  T60 and T60C (Encounter #10: January 27, 2022)Photograph by Mark Malleson |  T60C Rake Marks (Encounter #10: January 27, 2022)Photograph by Joe Zelwietro |
 T60C and T2B (Encounter #82: October 9, 2021)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |  T2B and T60C (Encounter #59: August 27, 2021) |  T60D and T60E (Encounter #7: January 31, 2021)Photograph by Joe Zelwietro |
 T60E (Encounter #7: January 31, 2021)Photograph by Joe Zelwietro |  T60F Porpoising (Encounter #82: October 9, 2021)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |  T60F Underwater (Encounter #10: January 27, 2022)Photograph by Mark Malleson |
 T60 and T60G interact, with T60F and T60C nearby (Encounter #56: August 23, 2021)Aerial Observation Study (UAV/drone) |  T60G and T60 (Encounter #3: January 10, 2021)Photograph by Mark Malleson |  T60G shows interest in the seal T60 is carrying (Encounter #56: August 23, 2021)Aerial Observation Study (UAV/drone) |
 T2B, T60C, and T60G (Encounter #82: October 9, 2021)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |  T60G and T60F (Encounter #10: January 27, 2022)Photograph by Joe Zelwietro |
During Encounter #13 on March 1, 2022 (Photograph by CWR’s Dave Ellifrit).
J59 Catching a ride on her mom’s back
getting to KNOW THEM: SRKWs
In each issue of the WHALE Report, we feature one or more members of the Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) community. See the Orca Survey SRKW ID GUIDE for left and right side identification photographs of J, K, and L pod members, including their alpha-numeric designation, sex, birth year, family members, and matriline illustration.
J59 // Female
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Born 2022*
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Mother: J37 (born 2001); gave birth to her first calf, J49, in 2012
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Sibling: J49 (male, born 2015)
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Aunt & uncle: J40 (female, born 2004) and J45 (male, born 2009)
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Grandmother: J14 (1974-2016)
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Grandfather: L41 (1977-2020)
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Famous great-grandfather, J1 (est. 1951-2010), and possible great-great-grandmother, J2 (est. 1911-2016)
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J59 is ID’d best by familial associations; its early-life, small, faint saddle patches make it challenging to side-view identify her by physical features; however, she is very identifiable from the air by a large scratch in front of her dorsal fin on the right side (see Orca IDentification and learn more about identifying individual whales).
*On March 1, the Center for Whale Research received word that J Pod was in Haro Strait (off Landbank, San Juan Island). There was possibly a new addition to the Southern Resident orca community. CWR’s Dave Ellifrit found J pod near Kelp Reef and confirmed the new addition. The calf was next to J37, with J47 and J40 nearby. We estimate J37’s baby was born within a few days of Dave’s encounter, given its “lumpy” physical nature. CWR designated the new J pod calf: J59. Its size and shape were typical of a calf in good physical condition. It is the first calf born into J Pod since September 2020, when J41 gave birth to J58 (female).
It’s a Girl!!
On May 26, Center for Whale Research field staff encountered J pod during a photo-ID and aerial observation survey. During ORCA SURVEY Encounter #28, the team managed to capture photographs and drone video of the ventral side of the pod’s newest member. The team was able to determine that J59 is a female.
Photo Gallery - J59
 J59 (Encounter #28: May 26, 2022)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |  J59 with her mom, J37 (Encounter #14: March 7, 2022)Photograph by Katie Jones |  J37 and J59 (Encounter #13: March 1, 2022)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |
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 J46 and J59 (Encounter #28: May 26, 2022)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |  J59 Rolling on mom, J37 (Encounter #28: May 26, 2022)Photograph by Mia Lybkaer Kronborg Nielsen |  J37 and J59 (Encounter #14: March 7, 2022)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |
 J46, J59, J37, J40, J36, and J49 Surfacing (Encounter #28: May 26, 2022)Photograph by Rachel John |  J59 (Encounter #15: April 10, 2022)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |  J59 Surfacing next to J40 (Encounter #28: May 26, 2022)Photograph by Mia Lybkaer Kronborg Nielsen |
 J59 (Encounter #14: March 7, 2022)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |  J59 with her family (Encounter #13: March 1, 2022)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |  J59 and J37 (Encounter #13: March 1, 2022)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |
 J59 and J37 (Encounter #15: April 10, 2022)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |  J59 and J37 (Encounter #16: April 10, 2022)Photograph by Dave Ellifrit |
The DO WE WANT WHALES OR NOT? graphic quoting CWR Founder and Senior Scientist Ken Balcomb was crafted by DamSense (damsense.org).
Taking ACTION
The Center for Whale Research advocates tirelessly and relentlessly for the Southern Resident orcas’ needs, seeking immediate action by politicians and government agencies to reverse the dramatic decline of Chinook salmon stocks in the whales’ habitat. The most critical of these actions is for political leadership to order the breaching of the lower Snake River dams.
June is ORCA ACTION MONTH
During June—Orca ACTION MONTH—please take some time to educate yourself about the benefits to the Southern Resident orcas of removing the lower Snake River dams.
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Visit DamSense.org
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Visit DamTruth.org
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Watch Hawley and Peterson’s DAMMED TO EXTINCTION
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Watch Why the Four Lower Snake River Dams Should Be Breached, an interview with DamSense’s Jim Waddell, a retired civil engineer with the Army Corps of Engineers
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Watch Patagonia’s “Free the Snake: Restoring America’s Greatest Salmon River.”
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Read Breakthrough in 20+ Year Legal Battle Over Fate of Snake River Salmon at EARTHJUSTICE.org
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Read Steven Hawley’s book Recovering A Lost River
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Read Why Remove The 4 Lower Snake River Dams? at Save Our wild Salmon (wildsalmon.org).
These resources will provide you with an overview of why the dams should be removed. Breaching the dams will double or triple the survival rates of Chinook salmon, restoring millions of fish to the Columbia Basin. It gives the best chance of saving the Chinook who reproduce in this area. It will also provide necessary food for the remaining Southern Resident killer whales.
After learning the facts, Speak UP.
Connect with state and federal politicians and agency officials who have a say in breaching the four lower Snake River dams—Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite—and demand they remove them . . . NOW! Find out where to contact politicians/representatives and agency officials on CWR’s Take ACTION webpage and through DamSense.org and DamTruth.org.
WHY BREACH LOWER SNAKE RIVER DAMS? is from the DamTruth website (damtruth.org).
In February, CBS Saturday Morning featured CWR’s Ken Balcomb. The internationally-broadcast story focused on Ken’s half-century-long dedication to the Southern Resident orcas, their survival needs, and CWR’s recent Balcomb BIG SALMON Ranch acquisition.
CWR Taking ACTION
At every opportunity, the Center for Whale Research team members speak boldly in the media concerning the struggling Southern Resident orcas. Through the ORCA SURVEY Outreach & Education Center, WhaleResearch.com, and several social media channels, members of the CWR team are continuously reaching out to as many people as possible with focused education and take- action messages.
It is my vision that [the Center for Whale Research] should have a three-prong approach to the future:
1. Continue our landmark studies of cetaceans in the Salish Sea, particularly of the ecotypes of killer whales that come into this area;
2. Provide public education about these cetaceans and our findings; and
3. Invest in the conservation of habitats and ecosystems that are ultimately vital to the survival of our cetacean brothers in the sea. We do not have time to waste in continuing these efforts. The research is well recognized worldwide and will continue to be our mainstay. The educational efforts will continue to engage the public in the reasons and findings of the research. And the Balcomb Big Salmon Ranch will be a giant step toward conserving habitats and ecosystems essential to us all, whales and people alike.
— Ken Balcomb, May 2022
Action: Center for Whale Research purchased Balcomb BIG SALMON Ranch, 45 acres along Washington State’s Elwha River, taking a BIG leap into conservation to preserve Chinook salmon habitat.
In October 2020, CWR added an ecosystem approach to saving the Southern Resident orcas by buying a ranch bordering both sides of the Elwha River, in a stretch of the mainstream river where a majority of the remnant native Chinook salmon now spawn. Balcomb BIG SALMON Ranch is smack in the middle of the recovering Elwha Valley habitat.
The salmon abundance from the Elwha River ecosystem, flowing into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, can provide a healthy food source for the Southern Resident orcas and a sustainable, nearshore artisanal fishery in the Strait.
Watch Sealife Productions’ Florian Graner’s twelve-minute video Elwha River Salmon Recovery, a story about the Elwha salmon since Washington State removed the river’s two dams in 2012 and 2014. The wildlife documentary producer/marine biologist updates us on the thriving Elwha River ecosystem. The video offers an objective take on salmon recovery and what’s still to come. And it’s as educational as it is informative. The film footage of salmon species at different stages of their lives is riveting—Chinook/King salmon, in particular.
Action: Center for Whale Research’s ORCA SURVEY Outreach & Education Center’s activities in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island.
Our outreach and education center is open in Friday Harbor (HOURS of OPERATION). COVID Precaution: Wearing a face mask is greatly appreciated.
Since its opening in the Summer of 2018, more than 15,000 people from North America and worldwide have visited the ORCA SURVEY Outreach & Education Center. Children and adults of all ages have experienced our attractions and activities. They’ve learned about killer whales from knowledgeable CWR staff and volunteers, familiarized themselves with orca biology, and found out how to help the struggling Southern Resident population.
The mission of the Center for Whale Research’s ORCA SURVEY Outreach & Education Center is to educate and give back to the public the information and knowledge that CWR, and our colleagues, have gathered during 46 years of research of killer whales (orcas) in the waters surrounding the San Juan Islands.
The DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE HOW MUCH YOU TALK graphic
quoting CWR Founder and Senior Scientist Ken Balcomb was crafted by DamSense (damsense.org).
MEMBERSHIP news
DREAM BIG / GIVE BIG exceeds our financial goal
We sincerely thank you for financially supporting the Center for Whale Research during GIVE BIG 2022. Our DREAM BIG / GIVE BIG goal was $12,000. Your donations totalled: $14,847! WOW!
Some of you have been our partners and supporters for a long time, others more recently, but your physical, vocal, and financial contributions have been significant. For this, we are genuinely grateful.
Notes accompanying DREAM BIG / GIVE BIG contributions
We received these messages with some of your DREAM BIG / GIVE BIG donations. People’s last names were removed for privacy reasons. Thank you very much for your words and gifts.
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In memory of J2 (Granny)
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In memory of Luna (L98)
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Dedicated to Tsux’iit, Luna
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In memory of my son Cody
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Dedicated to ALL of the dedicated scientists and volunteers who care for our orcas everyday
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Dedicated to Susan
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On behalf of Laurinda
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In memory of Jacob
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Dedicated to Jayne
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Dedicated to Ruffles (J1 - Est. 1951-2010)
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Dedicated to J36
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In honor of calf J59 and the new calf in K Pod, who would be K45. 59 + 45 = 104
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In memory of all the whales I saw as an Earthwatch Volunteer, 1989
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In memory of Wilson
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Dedicated to Ken Balcomb: chief scientist, Regina Maris
Looking toward the future
A Center for Whale Research constant is trying to generate operational security for our organization. An essential aspect of this financial planning is CWR membership and donation fundraising, self-driven fundraising by caring individuals and businesses, product sale donations, legacy giving, and the donation of securities. Achieving our financial goals will ensure that CWR is around to study and advocate for the Southern Resident and Bigg’s orcas for many more years.
If you can help us financially to continue our essential scientific research, outreach and education, and advocacy, THANK YOU. There are many ways to provide this financial support:
Book a stay in CWR’s POD Pad
A “whaley” getaway in the heart of Friday Harbor.
The POD Pad, a one-of-a-kind accommodation directly above CWR’s ORCA SURVEY Outreach & Education Center
in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, is available exclusively for Center for Whale Research MEMBERS. Another perk for supporting CWR’s research and conservation efforts.
The POD Pad is located near the ferry and close to dining, shopping, and entertainment—everything within walking distance.
The POD Pad features:
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Great Location: 185 S. 1st Street in Friday Harbor, above CWR’s ORCA SURVEY Outreach & Education Center
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Exclusive CWR photography grace the walls
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Sleeps two adults, Queen-sized bed
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Private Bath (shower), hairdryer, plush towels and linens
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Kitchenette (full-sized fridge/freezer, double burner hot plate, microwave, coffee maker, toaster)
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Netflix TV and WiFi
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Private Entrance
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Balcony seating overlooking downtown Friday Harbor
Take a video tour of CWR’s POD Pad at 185 S. 1st Street in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, above the ORCA SURVEY Outreach & Education Center.
CWR Member
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