Save The Orcas is a small, Washington-based, non-profit organization initially founded for the purpose of advocating for stronger protection for the local orca populations of the Pacific Northwest, commonly referred to as the Southern Residents. At the time the organization was founded, the Southern Residents were listed as a "threatened species" under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. In Canada, however, the Southern Residents were listed as an endangered species.

While the designation as a "Threatened Species" provided the orcas with some protection, many believed that more should be done in order to ensure the sustainability of the drastically diminishing population. Most people thought that the orcas should be listed as an endangered species, but this was difficult for a number of reasons. Aside from being a controversial issue locally, the legislation of the Endangered Species Act did not allow a specific group of animals to be considered "at risk" while populations of that same species were thriving in other oceans of the world.

 

Founders of Save The Orcas, Mckenzie and Sean, first learned of the dire situation facing the Southern Residents while on a whale watching cruise around the San Juan Islands. They felt compelled to find some way to help the majestic creatures they met on that trip, so pondered ideas for raising awareness of the issue. Sean, with his background in Internet technology and marketing, proposed launching a website where marine mammal enthusiasts could network and share their passion for wildlife conservation.  This original project was called "The Orca Club", but the vision was never fully realized. As Sean and Mckenzie researched online communities, they discovered a greater need for a website that focused its attention on education and advocacy.

 

In July of 2005, Sean and Mckenzie joined together with the naturalist from their fateful whale watching trip to officially form Save The Orcas Inc, a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the rights and protection of the Southern Resident orca population. They began by doing whatever they could to assist and support other like-minded groups who were already hard at work fighting to save the iconic  whales of the Salish Seas.  When the Southern Resident orcas finally gained inclusion on the Endangered Species List, Save the Orcas aspired to begin promoting conservation for all marine mammals in the world's oceans.

 

Today, Save The Orcas, Inc is privileged to have thousands of supporters spanning the entire globe. Our organization hopes to increase awareness of the problems that threaten our oceans and their inhabitants, and inspire others to do their part in combating the environmental effects of an ever-increasing human population. Our flagship campaign is our website, which inter-mixes technology, education, and advocacy with the goal of creating an Internet resource where the latest information on marine mammal conservation is presented in a interesting and interactive format that will encourage people to explore and learn more.

 

Save The Orcas, Inc is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization made up of an all volunteer staff, with members of the board running the day-to-day operations.

Please be our guest and explore the other sections of our website to gain a better understanding of who we are as an organization, and what we're trying to do to combat the many issues affecting marine mammals and their habitats.