Southern Resident Orcas: Moving from an Endangered Species to a Thriving Population

Continuing on from our session on the first day of the program, we will learn more about the killer whales of the Pacific Northwest, with an emphasis on the biology, social structure, culture, and endangered status of the Southern Residents Community of Orcas. We will also explore important issues in killer whale biology and management. After an introduction to killer whales, we will discuss the endangered Southern Resident population threats, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing, and the Recovery Program; before focusing on the implementation of Vessel Regulations.