California Considers Adding Southern Resident Killer Whales to State Endangered List

California wildlife officials are reviewing whether to add three pods of southern resident killer whales to the state's endangered species list. The California Fish and Game Commission granted the whales candidate status on July 10. The designation followed a November petition from the Orca Conservancy and temporarily extends protections under the California Endangered Species Act while the commission decides whether to add the whales to the list within 12 months.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is accepting information on the whales' ecology, genetics, life history, distribution, abundance, habitat, threats, and management needs. Comments must be submitted by Sept. gov or by mail to the CDFW Marine Region, attention Dylan Stompe, P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090.

Any submitted information becomes part of the public record. The department will prepare a report with a recommendation at least 30 days before the commission acts.

The southern resident killer whales number slightly more than 70 individuals divided into pods J, K, and L. The pods are most often observed in the Salish Sea, with K and L pods also appearing in California waters during winter months. The whales primarily hunt Chinook salmon.

Their numbers have fluctuated since the 1970s, reaching a peak of 97 in 1996 before declining below 80 in 2001. The population now numbers in the 70s.

Challenges include reduced prey availability, vessel noise and disturbance, and chemical pollutants that may affect immune or reproductive function. The whales were listed as federally endangered in 2005.