On Friday (April 21), the Southern Resident K!ller Distinct Whale Population Segment petition was approved by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission for Endangered Species Protection under the Oregon Endangered Species Act.
After the petition is accepted, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will conduct a biological status assessment of SRKW in Oregon as part of the rule-making process. They will engage with relevant agencies, tribes, organizations, and the public as part of the rule-making process as well.
The latest buzz on events at Oregon State is as follows:
- Oregon Legislators Present Solutions to the State’s Public Safety Dilemma.
- Oregon Health Authorities Provide the Last Covid-19 Monthly Report.
No final decision on whether or not to list SRKW will be made until the commission’s next scheduled meeting. Organizations, including CBD, DW, and Whale & Dolphin Conservation, were behind the petition.
There are just 73 SRKW left in three pods, and they can only be found in the coastal seas of Oregon, Washington, and California. A lack of food (mainly Chinook), high levels of pollutants from pollution, disturbance from vessels/sound, and inbreeding are all contributing causes to the extinction of the SRKW. The government has previously documented this group.
