#orca #orcas #kpassionate
A marine biologist reacts to the discovery of a new species of orca and the 49 unstoppable orcas who are reshaping marine biology.

00:00 - KPassionate
01:07 - How Many Types of Orca Are There?
02:28 - Orca in the Pacific Northwest
03:12 - Sperm Whale vs Orca
05:12 - New Species of Orca
06:43 - Are Killer Whales Endangered?
07:37 - How to Save Southern Resident Killer Whales
08:19 - Snake River Dams

There are an estimated 50,000 orcas found in every ocean of the world. Currently classified as the same species, Orcinus orca, they are all distinct variations known as ecotypes. Each orca ecotype has a unique physiology, appearance, and hunting behavior. In the Pacific Northwest we have the resident, offshore, and Bigg's killer whales. Now, researchers have confirmed that resident and Bigg's killer whales are entirely different species. Genetic analysis found these orcas likely diverged between 200,000 and 300,000 years ago.

“Knowing resident and Bigg's killer whales are unique species is incredibly important from a conservation standpoint. It’s challenging to create effective conservation policies for a globally distributed species like orca because animals in different regions of the world are all facing different threats.”
Scripps Institution of Oceanography

For the Southern Resident orca, the greatest threat is a lack of food. Specifically, Chinook Salmon from the Columbia and Snake River systems. Research shows that the survival and reproductive success of these orcas is correlated with Chinook salmon abundance. Increasing salmon abundance is an integral component of the species recovery plan.

Support breaching the Snake River Dams:
[1] https://www.columbiariverkeeper.org/t...
National Geographic on the Snake River Dams
[2]    • Remove the Dams to Save the Salmon? |...  
Read the Washington State LSRD Benefit Replacement Report
[3] https://governor.wa.gov/sites/default...
See the argument against breaching these dams
[4] https://nwriverpartners.org/wp-conten...

Sources
[1] https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org...
[2] https://royalsocietypublishing.org/do...
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
[4] https://www.popularmechanics.com/scie...
[5] https://media.fisheries.noaa.gov/2024...
[6] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-...
[7] https://alaskapublic.org/2018/02/02/e...
[8] https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-...
[9] https://earthjustice.org/feature/salm...
[10] https://apnews.com/article/salmon-tri...
[11] https://apnews.com/article/salmon-dam...
[12] https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/j...
[13] https://www.oregonlive.com/environmen...

Aerial Footage: Resident Killer Whale J50
NOAA Fisheries, filmed under NMFS research permit #19786

Type D Killer Whale Research Team 2019,
Taken under Chilean Sub-Secretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Research Permit, Res. Ex. 1811 (31 May 2017) and Res. Ex. 4402 (18 December 2018)
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Music
Cody Martin - soundstripe.com

Additional Imagery
NOAA Photo Library
JSUBiology
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