Southern resident killer whales (southern residents) feature prominently these days as their struggle for survival in the Salish Sea [British Columbia] has become symbolic of the unsustainable nature of our economy, and often, our lifestyles. The mounting ecological cost of unrestrained economic growth presents a stark choice about our future and that of the whales — will future generations of children grow up with a healthy population of southern residents or will we only save memories of what once was?
Raincoast Conservation Foundation recently submitted 500 pages of scientific evidence for the federal review of Kinder Morgan’s proposed Trans Mountain pipeline and oil tanker expansion project. Central to our evidence is a new analysis on the status and probable fate of southern residents. Considering the declining quality of habitat in the Salish Sea — a region facing increasing industrialization with proposals for oil, coal, and gas ports, and more container terminals — our findings are offered with a sense of urgency.