Threats

British Columbia is one of the best places in the world for watching and researching killer whales. This is both a special honour and an important responsibility.

Unfortunately, scientists warn that B.C.'s killer whales are at risk of extinction. Different human activities are threatening them.

If a southern resident killer whale dies and washes up on shore, its body is considered toxic waste!

A group of killer whales swimming near an industrial factory

Pollution is dangerous to killer whales. Because these animals are at the top of the food web, they can build up large amounts of toxic chemicals in their bodies from their food. These toxins don't break down and are passed from mothers to their calves through their milk.

Desperately seeking salmon
We don't know everything a killer whale eats, but we do know that they like salmon. Since salmon populations have been declining lately, it may be harder for killer whales to find the food they like to eat. They might have to spend more time traveling and hunting to find food. This could put killer whales in danger if they go to areas with heavy boat traffic. They may also switch to less nutritious prey, which in turn makes them less healthy.

Boats going overboard
Imagine trying to relax or fix some food for yourself after a long day while strangers are constantly running around in your house. That’s what killer whales might be facing with all the boats sharing the water with them. To avoid boat collisions or just to get away, killer whales sometimes change their behaviour – like changing their course or stopping their foraging. That’s why the marine mammal watching guidelines suggest that boats keep at least 100 metres away from killer whales and travel parallel to them instead of cutting in front of them.

Noise pollution can interfere with the killer whales’ ability to communicate and may even cause some whales to strand themselves on the beach. Whales live in a world of sound – researchers think they rely on sound to navigate and to find food the way we depend on our eyesight. The rumble from ship engines can confuse killer whales or mask their own sounds. Loud underwater activities such as testing military sonar and oil exploration may produce sounds so intense that it causes harm to the animals. Scientists think that “hearing” a military sonar blast underwater can be compared to sitting in a dark room and then having a painfully bright light blasted at your face.

Researchers at the Vancouver Aquarium are trying to help by learning more about these animals. You can help too. Take a look at the Get Involved section to see what you can do.