Wildlife Weekly Wrap-Up

Orca Calves Are Born, But Will They Survive?
In the past 12 months, there have been nine new calves born to the endangered population of orcas living off the coast of Oregon and Washington. While this is wonderful news, the sad reality is that many of these calves will struggle to survive. Many in this population are at risk of starvation due to the fact that their primary food source, Chinook salmon, are also endangered. More fish are needed to sustain the current population and these adorable new additions. They will continue to struggle until the limited supply of wild Chinook salmon recovers. In addition, preliminary findings from new research at the University of Washington report that first-time Southern Resident orca moms experience high rates of miscarriages, stillbirths, or lose their first-born shortly after birth. After examining their milk, researchers found that the milk given to their first born is extremely high in development-disrupting toxins, than when compared to subsequent births. That’s why we are focused on helping the southern resident orcas in two ways: reducing toxins in the orca’s habitat and food, and restoring Chinook salmon habitat so that more fish can spawn, thrive, and play their part in the complex ocean food web.

Great Lakes Wolf Recovery Causes Changes to Ecosystem
Since wolf reintroduction began, researching the effects of wolves on the environment has been a hot area of scientific inquiry. In several regions, research has demonstrated that wolves, in conjunction with other factors like climate and landscape conditions, have a distinct positive impact on the local environment. For example, in Yellowstone National Park, wolves helped reduce the intensity of elk grazing on berry-producing shrubs, which provided additional food for grizzly bears. Now a new study examines the impact of wolf recovery in the Great Lakes, showing that the forest ecosystem in northern Wisconsin has indeed changed because of wolves’ presence. The study shows that wolf reintroduction decreased local white tail deer populations, which led to an increased diversity of plant and shrub species in areas where wolves were present. This study contributes to the growing body of literature that documents the ways in which wolves contribute to the environmental health of the areas they inhabit.

Dams Coming Down on the Klamath
Hundreds of hydroelectric dams have been built on major rivers across the western U.S., many inhibiting or even totally blocking passage for migrating salmon. We can’t restore the highly endangered population of southern resident orcas living off the Northwest coast without also restoring their primary food source, imperiled Chinook salmon. The good news is that this week federal agencies announced they will remove four dams on the Klamath River, which was historically the third largest salmon-bearing river for these orcas. This is excellent news for orcas which depend on Chinook salmon for 80-90 percent of their diet.