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Orcas visit Sooke over the weekend

Killer whales, or orcas, are top predators and cultural icons of the Salish Sea
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A southern resident killer whales surfaces Friday in Sooke harbour. (Kerrie Reay photo)

A pod of Southern Resident Killer Whales visited Sooke harbour for most of the weekend.

The whales were sighted from Friday through Sunday.

Killer whales, or orcas, are top predators and cultural icons of the Salish Sea. During the spring, summer and fall months, killer whales can be seen regularly in local waters.

Resident killer whales have been listed as endangered species in both the U.S. and Canada, and their population is closely tied to the overall health of the ecosystem.

Recent declines in killer whale population are linked to threats such as toxic pollution, and noise and disturbance from boat traffic.

However, killer whales also fundamentally rely on healthy populations of salmon – particularly Chinook – which are declining across the Salish Sea.



editor@sookenewsmirror.com

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