On November 15, 2005 Puget Sound Orcas in Washington State, USA were placed on the endangered species list. This group of Orca was previously stated as "threatened" and after closer analysis deemed to be extremely threatened. Known as the "Southern Resident Killer Whales"the NOAA stated at this time that “Recent information and further analysis leads our agency to conclude that the Southern Resident killer whale population is at risk of extinction, and should be listed as endangered.” They went on to further state, “By giving it protection under the ESA, we have a better chance of keeping this population alive for future generations.” Now after 12 years a petition has been accepted to take these critically endangered animals off of the list.
Female Orcas usually don't mate or start breeding til 14-15 years of age, they youngest known is 11. The gestation period is 16-17 months (the time the baby is carried by its mother) after that the female gives birth to 1 calf. Only 1 calf is born in a 3-10 year span. With only 84 southern resident killer whales known alive at this time there has not been a significant amount of time for these animals to gain the numbers they need to ensure their protection and numbers.
After the 1970 Penn Cove round up, it is known that atleast 45 Orca were taken captive, 13 were killed due to stress, getting caught in ropes and nets and being seperated from their pods. At the end most juveniles and adult males were released completely decimating 3 pods. Females who should have bred in the wild to bolster numbers were now ripped from there families and calfs. Only one remain's alive today, Lolita.
Now water for crops is wanted for the San Joaquin Valley where they rely on canals and dams to distribuate water. This petition turned into the NOAA should NOT be granted. Orcas inhabit every ocean in our world and due to human negligence, greed and fisheries their lives are already at great risk. To take these animals off now would only be endangering their lives, the complete opposite of listing them endangered in the first place. Please fight with me to tell the NOAA these Orcas should remain protected so like they previously stated, they remain around for our future generations to enjoy and love. Below is a link to Sea Shepherds website to an article posted about the Puget Sound Orcas!
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2012/12/03/puget-sound-orcas-endangered-status-threatened-1469
