Join us to celebrate Orca Action Month for a powerful evening diving beneath the surface of one of the most iconic and endangered marine mammals on the Pacific Coast: the Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW).

These whales are more than just a species at risk: they are families, cultural carriers, and coastal icons whose stories span from ancient Indigenous knowledge to modern conservation science.

This compelling live webinar brings together researchers and storytellers to explore the past, present, and future of the SRKW. We'll delve into the deeply personal, historical, and ecological dimensions of their lives—from the harpooning of Moby Doll and the captivity era of Namu, to the kinship of J1 Ruffles and J2 Granny, and today’s fight for survival amid threats like declining salmon runs, ocean noise, and toxic pollution.

Free, online event. Registration required.

🔗 Zoom link will be emailed to all registrants.

Speakers include:

Fred DeNisco – “The Orca Man”

A sweeping historical perspective—from early Western perceptions of Orcas as dangerous predators, to the capture era of Moby Doll and Namu, and the rise of photo-identification and acoustic research. The Orca Man’s narrative also weaves in Indigenous stories like Storm Boy, grounding this history in deeper cultural context.

Kendra Nelson – Orca Conservancy

Intimate storytelling from inside the pods, introducing key individuals like J1 Ruffles, J2 Granny, and the newer generations shaping J, K, and L Pods today. Through tales of babysitting, kelping, mourning, and greeting ceremonies, Kendra highlights the rich cultural lives of these whales and what their family structures reveal about resilience and survival.

Sydney Dixon – Pacific Wild

The current state of SRKW conservation—covering threats like declining salmon, vessel noise, and toxic pollutants, along with responses including voluntary slow-down zones, new whale-watching regulations, scat detection dogs, photo-ID research, and the vital role of citizen science.