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June 2018: Orca Awareness Month
posted on June 1, 2018
Updated June 1
Orca Awareness Month
BC and WA Have Proclaimed June as Orca Awareness Month!
The major factors in the decline of orca populations include aquarium captures (at least 68 were captured and others drowned). The capture of all young orcas resulted in a devastating abnormal age and sex ration.
Other factors include depleted food, toxic pollution, military and other noise pollution, excessive experiments, and ongoing boat traffic harassment. As we have previously reported they can also be seriously injured by boat hits and entanglement in fishing equipment.
All Orcas Need Protection!
Fish Eating Residents
The fish eating Southern Community of Resident J, K & L pods were designated as Endangered in November 2005 under the US Endangered Species Act and also in Canada. All three pods are found in Southern BC and WA waters from approximately June to December. There are only 76.
Still Captive
Campaign to Free Lolita (SRKW) captured in Pacific Northwest in 1970 at Miami Seaquarium.
FREE LOLITA.
There are also the fish eating Northern Resident Community that number approximately 290.
Still captive
Campaign to Free Corky (NRKW) captured in Northern BC in 1969. Now captive at Sea World San Diego.
FREE CORKY.
Mammal Eating Transients
The mammal eating Transients number only approximately 250.
Offshore orcas
Less than 300.
Canadian and Parks Board Cetacean Captivity Bans
As long as the aquarium industry is allowed to get a free source of cetaceans by claiming that many rescues cannot be released the cetacean captivity and research businesses will continue. And that could include orcas, narwhals and others for aquariums worldwide!
Equal Laws Are Still Needed!
Boat distances are mandated for up to 400 yards in the US but are mainly only 100 yards in Canada.
Please sign the Change.org Petition “Equal Laws to Protect Endangered West Coast Orcas! EQUAL LAWS.
As Lifeforce did in the 90s regulations must be distributed by DFO to marinas, boat dealers, boater insurance companies, and through boat and fishing licensing.
Enact the Species At Risk Act!
On May 24th the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Dominic LeBlanc and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna stated that the Southern Residents, face “imminent risks” to their recovery and they will close several fisheries in key whale foraging areas. The Ministers should recommend an Emergency Order under the Species at Risk Act, because they are “of the opinion that the species faces imminent threats to its survival or recovery.” This is what Lifeforce and nearly 135,000 people who signed the petition have asked them to do! ENACT THE EMERGENCY ORDER.
Banning Invasive Experiments
Sentient, endangered orca families must not continue to be treated as research tools for lucrative research grants both in the wild and in captivity. As Lifeforce has repeatedly stated, “They are being studied to death and it must stop!” BAN CRUEL EXPERIMENTS.
CONTACT LIFEFORCE OCEAN FRIENDS TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN HELP!
Further information: Ocean Friends lifeforcesociety@gmail.com and
https://www.facebook.com/Ocean-Friends-1442963759271400/
Resources
Ocean Friends Facebook
LIFEFORCE OCEAN FRIENDS.
Lifeforce Foundation
Educational information about Orcas such as Orca Field Guides, Humpback and Gray Whale Watching Regulations and the Lifeforce book “Orca: A Family Story”.
Photographs and Videos Re: Harm to Orcas and Orca Freedom in the Wild
a. Aquarium Captures
b. Salmon Depletion
c. Boat Harassment and Noise Pollution: Commercial and Private
d. Pollution: Oil and Coal examples
e. Transients babies > New ones in 2018 T65A6 and T023A5
f. Freedom and Life in the Wild
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