Dear Defender of Wildlife,
It breaks my heart to share with you that we may have lost two more orcas in the Pacific Northwest.
J17 (known as Princess Angeline) and K25 have not been spotted in weeks, and experts fear the worst. Both orcas appeared to be near starvation at last sight.
Southern resident orcas are in a life or death struggle. We need you with us to double down on our efforts to save this population from extinction.
Princess Angeline is the mother of Tahlequah (J35), the southern resident orca who lost her baby at birth last summer. You may recall she then carried her dead calf on her head for 17 days on a "tour of grief."
And K25, a young male, has been deteriorating ever since he lost his mother in 2017.
Defender of Wildlife, these orcas are starving to death. Outdated dams across the region, particularly four dams built on the Snake River, are drastically depressing numbers of Chinook salmon, the orcas' main source of food. Salmon populations have crashed since those dams were built.
Making matters worse, these orcas also struggle with water pollution. A deadly mix of chemicals, including pesticides, industrial solvents and other poisons wash into the Salish Sea (including Puget Sound) when it rains. In fact, these orcas are among the most contaminated marine mammals in the world.
We'll do whatever it takes to end this crisis – are you with us?
We can't bear to see any more of these at-risk orcas lost to starvation and pollution. We’re working with local and national officials to stop deadly water pollution, restore salmon habitat, and remove barriers to spawning for these whales’ primary food source.
Orcas are extraordinary animals. They nurture their young, mourn their dead, and use language to communicate. It’s heartbreaking to see them suffering.
I know you want to help. Please pitch in $10 or more to save the wildlife we love.
Sincerely,
 |
Jamie Rappaport Clark |
