Demand an emergency order for southern resident killer whales

Tell your representative that southern resident killer whales can’t wait

It’s been since June 7 that WWF-Canada, Ecojustice and other environmental coalition partners petitioned the federal government for an Emergency Order to bring Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) back from the brink of extinction.

Since July 1 that the SRKW population census came out, dropping from 75 to 73 orcas.

Since early November that Lobo, a 31-year-old male also known as K26, and the calf L128 were separately reported missing and presumed dead by the Center for Whale Research.

Since New Year’s Eve when 27-year-old Tahlequah, J35, was first spotted carrying the body of her deceased calf, J61, a painfully familiar sight after Tahlequah made international news doing the same with her previous calf’s body in 2018.

And since January 28 that Ecojustice filed a lawsuit on our coalition’s behalf over the failure of the Ministers of Fisheries and Oceans and Environment and Climate Change to make a timely recommendation to Cabinet for that Emergency Order.

Parliament may not be sitting, but these whales can’t wait any longer — you can’t prorogue extinction.

How can you help?

Southern Resident killer whales are facing imminent threats to their survival. The federal government has a legal obligation to act now. Send a letter to your local MP as well as the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Honourable Steven Guilbeault , Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada. Implore them to demand Cabinet take action to protect the remaining Southern Residents before it’s too late.