Mammals (marine)

Whale, Killer  | Orcinus orca  |  Southern Resident Population

Status: Endangered

Last Examination and Change: November 2008 (No Change)

Canadian Occurrence: Pacific Ocean

Status Criteria: C2a(i,ii); D1

Reason for Designation: The population is small and declining, and the decline is expected to continue. Southern residents are limited by the availability of their principal prey, Chinook Salmon. There are forecasts of continued low abundance of Chinook Salmon. Southern residents are also threatened by increasing physical and acoustical disturbance, oil spills and contaminants.

Status History: The “North Pacific resident populations” were given a single designation of Threatened in April 1999. Split into three populations in November 2001. The Southern Resident population was designated Endangered in November 2001. Status re-examined and confirmed in November 2008.

Find out more about this species on the Species at Risk Act Public Registry

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