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Hi John,
Mother orcas share salmon with their calves, even as the young whales enter adulthood.
When the mother of an orca known as K34 died in 2017, his chances of survival plummeted. He was last seen in July and is presumed dead.
Now only 73 southern resident killer whales remain.
The Center for Biological Diversity is doing all we can for these whales. Please help by giving to the Saving Life on Earth Fund.
Last year's count of this highly endangered population of whales stood at 75. Since then, two adult males have died.
The only calf born during the counting period perished as well — a baby whale first spotted the day after Christmas who soon disappeared.
The biggest threat to these orcas is starvation: Their favorite food, Chinook salmon, are in sharp decline. Both are caught in an extinction spiral.
Ocean noise makes it hard for the whales to communicate, and pollution exacerbates their dwindling food supply.
But there's hope. A new calf was born just weeks ago.
For this calf and others to survive, these whales urgently need more food — and stronger rules on vessel speeds and routes so their habitat is quieter.
Southern resident whales have been swimming the waters of Puget Sound, the Salish Sea and the Pacific Coast for generations — as far south as the Golden Gate Bridge.
We can't imagine a world without them.
The Center is campaigning to save Southern Resident whales and all animals and plants on the brink. We won't stop — our love of the wild inspires us.
Your support will strengthen our fight to save orcas and so many other species on the knife's edge of extinction.
Please give today to the Saving Life on Earth Fund.
For the wild,
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