New protections for the Southern Resident Orca now await Governor Jay Inslee’s signature following approval of the full state legislature.
Creating more distance between boaters and the Orca could have a profound impact on their survival “Our desire to see these animals has really pushed them to the brink of extinction” State Senator Liz Lovlett says Senate Bill 5371 would require all boaters to stay 1,000 yards away this endangered creature “The reason why a 1,000 yards, it should probably be 2,000 yards, but a 1,000 yards we felt was feasible because what that does is send the message to: ‘leave the animals alone’.”
The Southern Resident Killer Whale was declared an endangered species in 2005, but the population is still dropping. As of January, just seventy-three remain.
“Tahlequah carried her dead calf for 17 days through the Salish Sea” Lovlett reached back to 2018 for the lesson learned from Tahlequah the mother Orca “Mourning the loss of her baby and really showing to us what is happening out there in their environment.”
With food supplies already in a precarious state, studies show female orca’s stop hunting when a boat comes within 400 yards “When you have an animal that relies on eco-location to be able to find their prey and find each other” boats of all shapes and sizes disrupt the Orca’s senses she says “It makes it incredibly difficult for them to navigate those waters to keep an eye on their young and to find food.”
Whale watching boats already operate at a 1,000 yard distance; but this also includes the 250,000 recreational users of the Puget Sound.
The legislation now awaits the Governor’s signature.