Orca awareness month!!
The magnificent Orca has been the beloved icon of the Pacific Northwest
and Puget Sound ever since man has shared these waters with them. But a
recent and significant decline in the Southern Resident Orca population
has caused deep concern among researchers, government agencies, and
citizens throughout the northwest. Between 1995 and 2001, the Southern
Resident orca population declined by 20%, and in November 2005 was
listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Governor Gregoire's declaration of June as Washington Orca Awareness
Month describes some of the reasons for making an entire month the
occasion for showing our appreciation for our Orca neighbors and
helping instill a sense of stewardship to protect them and their
fragile habitats, which we also depend on...
...read more
