Southern Resident Orcas
Whales Are Not Attractions
They are families. They are hunters. They live in a world made of sound.
Why vessel noise matters
Orcas hunt using echolocation — sound waves that bounce off salmon and return as meaning. Engine noise interferes with this process.
Noise masks hunting calls
Salmon become harder to locate
Mothers and calves lose contact
What repeated disturbance does
Reduced feeding efficiency
Chronic stress
Starvation — especially for calves
What helps instead
Land-based viewing
Respecting distance and slow-down zones
Supporting salmon recovery and habitat protection