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Critical Habitat

by oceansadminin Habitaton Posted on August 5, 2011

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Our latest on Instagram

Still time to register for our free virtual, kid-f

Still time to register for our free virtual, kid-friendly marine biology camp (#linkinbio)!

Do you remember our Virtual Marine Biology Camp du

Do you remember our Virtual Marine Biology Camp during the first “Strong Germ Days” of Covid? Before Zoom school, before parents had figured out work-from-home schedules, we wanted to do something. As parents of a school-aged child, we threw together a virtual space where kids could gather safely and talk about ocean. It was so fun! We reached 30,000 people, and even got a shout out on the @kellyclarkson show!

We wanted to check in to hear how kids are doing and give a chance for new kids to join our virtual marine biology camp for the first time. We’ll be meeting 24 Aug 2024, 10am -12pm Pacific. (That allows us to take our traditional Scottish break at “elevenses” and we can’t wait to see what snacks you bring!) This is geared for kids, but we’ll adapt and adjust so it’s accessible to all ages.

Please register at the link in our bio. It will prompt you to tell us if you’re a new or returning camper. And it will give you a chance to ask questions about marine wildlife and the ocean. Our scientists will pick a few questions to answer live on the 24th.

Will we see you at camp? Tag a friend in the comments who may want to join.

Day 30 of #OrcaActionMonth 🐋 Endangered specie

Day 30 of #OrcaActionMonth 🐋

Endangered species laws in the US and Canada are designed to prevent species extinction by protecting habitats that are critical for the survival of the species. It can be challenging to identify and protect critical habitats for aquatic species like the southern resident killer whales (SRKW) in the Pacific. These whales face threats from habitat degradation caused by declining prey and increasing ocean noise. Importantly, noise from distant activities can cross into the whales’ critical habitat. Prey abundance in critical habitat is impacted by fisheries and habitat management actions from Alaska to California. It’s a tricky job. One of the trickiest parts is defining the point at which habitat degradation crosses the line into unlawful destruction of critical habitat. We brought together scientists and lawyers to craft some milestones. The bad news? We may have already crossed several thresholds of habitat destruction. The best part of the paper is that the advice works both ways. The paper also outlines milestones to reach to restore the functionality of SRKW critical habitat. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and restore critical habitats to ensure SRKW survival and recovery.

To all of you who are supporting our mission to keep killer whale habitats clean, quiet, and full of life, thank you. To everyone: your help has never been needed more urgently.

Williams, R., Ashe, E., Broadhurst, G. 2021. Destroying and restoring critical habitats of endangered killer whales. Bioscience, 71(11), 1117-1120.

Thanks for joining us all of Orca Action Month! Saving the SRKW population from extinction will depend on continued, yearround efforts. All of us have a role to play in protecting species and habitats. Visit the links in our bio to find out how you can join us in keeping oceans healthy and full of life.

Day 29 of #OrcaActionMonth 🐋 We have known for

Day 29 of #OrcaActionMonth 🐋

We have known for two decades that three main threats were hindering SRKW recovery: lack of prey (Chinook salmon); vessel noise and disturbance (reducing predation success); and the toxic effects of PCBs and other contaminants. But which are the biggest problems, and how much mitigation will it take to recover the population. Led by Dr Bob Lacy and scientists from @raincoast, @cwr and others, we coordinated an effort to put all threats in the same currency, namely the effect of that stressor on SRKW survival and reproduction. Using program Vortex, we built a population viability analysis that considered demographic data since 1976, as well as the three anthropogenic threats. We found lack of salmon to be the biggest driver. We found that increased noise would steepen the decline, but reducing noise would speed up recovery by improving the whales’ hunting success. The work was heavily cited by Governor Inslee’s Orca Task Force, which used this analysis to call for a 30% increase in salmon, a 50% reduction in noise, or a combination of mitigation that achieves the same net effect. Sadly, the Orca Task Force was defunded—so it’s up to all of us to implement its science-based recommendations.

Lacy, R. C., Williams, R., Ashe, E. et al. 2017. Evaluating anthropogenic threats to endangered killer whales to inform effective recovery plans. Scientific reports, 7(1), 14119.

Check back tomorrow to see what else our science is revealing. Visit the links in our bio to find out how you can join us in keeping oceans healthy and full of life.

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