Howard Garrett and Susan Berta of Orca Network will present information about the orcas of the Pacific Northwest, including the different types of orcas (Resident, Transient and Offshore), their natural history and unique social bonds and cultures, with a focus on the Endangered Southern Resident community of orcas, J, K and L Pods. They will also discuss the Orca Network Whale Sighting Network, and how you can become involved in tracking the whales and do your part to help the orcas of the Pacific Northwest survive for future generations.

The causes of the orca population decline reflect the same problems and issues facing most of the greater Puget Sound marine and watershed ecosystems: declining salmon runs, PCB contamination and other pollutants, and effects of a rapidly increasing human population such as habitat loss, vessel noise, and resource depletion.

The latest research on the Southern Resident Community was recently presented at a NOAA Fisheries Orca Symposium. Howard and Susan will share the results of the studies on what and how the orcas eat, the effects of contamination, and impacts of ocean noise levels on this small and fragile community of whales.