Local Killer Whales Listed as Endangered
June 17, 2008 · Updated 12:26 PM
A group of killer whales that visits Washington State's Puget Sound every summer has been listed as an endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service) announced last week.
Known officially as Southern Resident killer whales, they were proposed a year ago for "threatened" status under the Endangered Species Act. A species listed as threatened is at risk of becoming endangered; an endangered species is one at risk of extinction.
The new listing under the Endangered Species Act will require federal agencies to make sure their actions are not likely to harm the whales. NOAA Fisheries Service said its ongoing efforts to restore salmon stocks in Puget Sound should benefit the whales. Other federal agencies' efforts are likely to focus on toxic chemicals and vessel traffic.
The population peaked at 97 animals in the 1990s and then declined to 79 in 2001. It currently stands at 89 whales, including a solitary male that has taken up residence in a small inlet in British Columbia.
More details are posted on the Web at www.nwr.noaa.gov.
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