Dear John,
Stop the shipping industry from wiping out baby orcas: Donate now!
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Good news: One of the critically endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales has just given birth to a new baby calf. But the calf’s survival is under threat from a megaproject that could wipe out his entire family. Help protect vulnerable orcas: Rush a $10 donation to Friends of the Earth.
Two years ago an orca mother, Tahlequah, gave birth to a calf who died thirty minutes later. A key factor in the calf’s death? The lack of nutrient-rich Chinook salmon for her pod to feed on. This is exacerbated by climate change, noise pollution and oil spills from ships.
In a show of mourning unlike anything we’ve ever seen, the young mother kept her calf's body afloat next to her for weeks. Her heartbreaking 1,000 mile journey captured headlines -- and hearts -- around the world.
Last month, Tahlequah gave birth again, to a healthy calf. And now, another whale in her pod has given birth, joining her in motherhood!
This should be cause for great celebration. But the truth is, this baby, his mother, and their entire pod are more at risk than they have ever been. The latest threat? The Roberts Bank T2 terminal right across the border in British Columbia.
We must stop the disastrous T2 terminal and give these baby orcas a real chance. Take action today with a $10 donation to Friends of the Earth.
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:
The Roberts Bank T2 project is a massive proposed shipping facility that developers want to build at the mouth of British Columbia’s Frasier River. If built, it could wipe out Southern Resident Killer Whales and the Chinook salmon they depend on.
Roberts Bank will disrupt the migration patterns of Chinook salmon, the main food source for these endangered orcas. It will force young salmon into open ocean waters before they are strong enough -- creating a chronic lack of food for the 74 Southern Resident Whales that remain, including the two new calves.
Southern Resident Killer Whales have long been struggling to survive. Made up of only three pods -- tightly-knit family groups -- their mortality rate is increasing and their birth rate is decreasing, as the whales become skinnier and more malnourished. Experts say that a lack of salmon -- and the resulting hunger and stress -- has kept them from reproducing successfully. They are also threatened by pollution, which affects their health, and underwater noise from shipping, which disrupts the echolocation they use to hunt.
The odds are already against these endangered orcas, but the Roberts Bank terminal would magnify every threat these orcas face.
Stop the shipping industry from wiping out Chinook salmon and Southern Resident Killer Whales. Support Friends of the Earth with a $10 donation.
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Chinook salmon have also been listed as an endangered species. With their food supply dwindling, the whales are beginning to waste away. We still have a shot to save these majestic creatures, but time is running out.
Powered by members like you, Friends of the Earth has been fighting and winning protections for this pod for years. In recent years, we have secured new legislation related to oil spills and shipping, pressured the Pacific Fishery Management Council to take new protective measures, and helped stop a massive petrochemical project.
People power has made a difference. You have made a difference. You’ve given the orcas a chance -- but if we don’t stop this Roberts Bank expansion, it may all be for nothing.
The threats facing these baby orca and their pod seem daunting -- two-thirds of this pod’s pregnancies end in failure, and their numbers are already critically low. But we know that people power, and direct support from members like you, can be the difference. Together, we can stop the new Roberts Bank project and save these whales.
Take action to protect endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales, and the Chinook salmon they rely on.
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:
Standing with you,
Marcie Keever,
Oceans and vessels program director,
Friends of the Earth