Refine Results
Region
News Category
Topic
Species Category

News & Announcements

News

88 items match your filter criteria.

Comparing Killer Whale Cuisine

New research aims to understand how two populations of North Pacific resident killer whales find food and what they eat. Southern Resident Connections - Post 38
September 19, 2024 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
Orcas capturing a salmon Southern Resident killer whale preys on salmon in the Salish Sea near Seattle. Credit: Candice Emmons/NOAA Fisheries

Stranding Network Helps Young Killer Whale Stranded on Carmel Beach

NOAA recognizes partners for pulling together in coordinated response.
September 12, 2024 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
Responders pressing a moist cloth on a stranded killer whale A team of responders assists a young male killer whale stranded at Carmel River State Beach on Tuesday, September 10. The 10-foot whale later died during transport to a laboratory in Santa Cruz. Photo by The Marine Mammal Center under NMFS permit 24359.

Why Can’t Killer Whales Find and Capture Food? The Ocean Is too Noisy

New research helps explain how vessel noise reduces foraging efficiency and success in West Coast killer whales. Southern Resident Connections - Post 37
September 11, 2024 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
A killer whale traveling quickly with a cargo vessel in the background A male orca travels quickly near a large cargo ship transiting through the Salish Sea. Image taken under NOAA permit. Credit: Candice Emmons/NOAA Fisheries

Quiet Sound’s Voluntary Ship Slowdown Reduces Underwater Noise Reaching Killer Whales

Last year, most ships slowed down—and cut noise in half. Southern Resident Connections - Post 36
September 04, 2024 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
killer whale breaches in front of commercial vessel A voluntary slowdown of large ships in Puget Sound aims to quiet the waters for endangered Southern Resident killer whales, which use echolocation to hunt. Credit: Kersti E. Muul

A Boater Drove Through a Pod of Killer Whales. Turns Out a Wildlife Videographer Was Filming.

Bellingham man agrees to $1,000 civil penalty for violating protections.
August 07, 2024 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
Recreational vessel approaching a killer whale Still frame from video recording of recreational vessel M/V Cypress Point approaching killer whales near Roche Harbor, Washington, September 1, 2022. Operator of the vessel agreed to pay a civil penalty of $1,000 for violating distance rules for approaching killer whales.

Recommended 2024 Species Recovery Grants Projects

NOAA Fisheries has recommended roughly $5.5 million in funding for six new projects and 16 ongoing projects.
May 07, 2024 - Feature Story ,
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
An adult orca is swimming underwater, and a calf is next to its dorsal fin. The calf is surfacing from the water. Southern Resident killer whale swimming with calf. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

New Research Reveals Full Diversity of Killer Whales as Two Species Come into View on Pacific Coast

Long viewed as one worldwide species, killer whale diversity now merits more. Southern Resident Connections - Post 35
March 27, 2024 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
Side-by-side comparison of Bigg's killer on left and resident killer whale on right. Aerial images comparing the sizes of adult male Bigg’s and Resident killer whales, both taken in the Salish Sea off southern Vancouver Island. Images are scaled to lengths calculated during health research by SR3 SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation and Research. Images were collected by John Durban and Holly Fearnbach using a non-invasive drone authorized by research permit 19091 issued by the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

Lost Skulls and Latin: How Scientists Chose Names for Newly Identified Killer Whale Species

A California whaler sent his manuscript to the Smithsonian, but it ended up elsewhere. Southern Resident Connections - Post 34
March 27, 2024 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
Original drawing by C.M. Scammon showing killer whale differences. California whaler Charles Melville Scammon first described the killer whales of the West Coast, and documented his observations and findings in a manuscript he sent to the Smithsonian Institution.

Whale Week: Celebrating the Wonder of Whales

Celebrate Whale Week 2024 with us! Discover NOAA's work to study, recover, and conserve these magnificent marine mammals.
February 12, 2024 - Feature Story ,
National
Graphic for Whale Week featuring illustrations of long-finned pilot whale, sperm whale, beluga whale, and North Atlantic right whale

Hatcheries Yield More Salmon for Endangered Killer Whales; New Analysis Open for Comment

NOAA Fisheries seeks review of an analysis of methods to help the Southern Resident killer whale population. Southern Resident Connections - Post 33
January 25, 2024 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
Hatching salmon eggs in a fish hatchery Credit: Shutterstock