On December 27, across Puget Sound, there were three memorials meant to honor the dead orcas from the Southern Residents. These vigils were bound to represent that an alarming situation is developing. The number of whales has decreased below 80. These animals may be on the verge of extinction. On the coast of British Columbia, there was recently unveiled a dead orca which was named J-34.
- Unfortunately, the number of orcas is steadily decreasing.
- Specialists argue that the dams of Snake River are lacking in food for whales.
- Others claim that the deaths of these whales happened due to toxins in the water.
Now that another individual of this species has died, there remained only 79 whales alive. In 2016, four whales died in J-pod and another one in the L-pod. Unfortunately, the number of orcas is continuously decreasing due to the lack of efforts to preserve the species. The whale named J-14 died because of unknown causes.
The other two orcas, J-54 and her calf, J-28 also died from unknown causes, although the mother seemed malnourished. Experts have undergone a necropsy for J-34 which has revealed that the male orca most likely died due to a trauma he suffered when a boat has hit him. What is even more outrageous is that L-95 orca’s cause of death was a fungal infection which was most likely produced due to NOAA personnel’s methods of tagging marine animals.
Several whales advocated have decided that Snake River dams will represent the central point where all the conservation efforts will concentrate hoping to save this species. The dams of this river were claimed to restrict the food resources for Southern Residents, becoming extremely impoverished. In this way, the habitat of orcas will soon be destroyed if specialists do not find a method to provide enough food for them.
The orcas are known to feed on Chinook salmon. Nevertheless, other researchers are raising awareness to inform people that the number of these whales is dramatically dropping. Some argue that not the dams of the river lacking in food are to be blamed for the possible extinction of this species, but the toxins and the noises coming from vessels could also be listed as potential causes.
Donna Sandstrom, a founder of Whale Trail, argued that she hopes these dead orcas will alarm conservationists to pay attention to the decreasing number of whales and to the problems which are causing this disaster to happen. This species is disappearing, and specialists who witness this are barely making any efforts to save them.
Image source: wikipedia
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