Whale watching tours. Photo credit: NOAA.
Over the past few years, we’ve learned a lot of (mostly upsetting) news about keeping marine mammals, specifically orcas, in captivity. Captivity can split up families, shorten an orca’s lifespan, make them sick, and cause a whole host of mental problems that can ultimately result in violence.
In the wild, most of these problems — particularly the behavioral ones — don’t seem to exist. But, we don’t often hear about orcas in their natural habitat.
Some wild populations are increasingly threatened, yet there’s a surprisingly small amount of research being done on the topic. Did you know that only 79 individuals remain in the Pacific Northwest?
Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau recently announced the filming of a new documentary, Orcas: The Wild Truth, that will highlight the issues orcas face in the wild and what we can do to help. Check it out:
The Weather Channel’s Sam Champion, joined by Philippe and Ashlan, headed to the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest a few weeks ago to learn more about wild orcas. Check out some of these AMHQ clips to learn more about wild orcas and the upcoming documentary: The Wild Truth, Survival at Stake, and Endangered Orcas.
Stay tuned for updates on Orcas: The Wild Truth!
Copyright © 2014 by Marine Science Today, a publication of Marine Science Today LLC.
