Are orca whales endangered?

Killer whales are not in the list of endangered species, but they are vulnerable to a number of threats of natural and anthropogenic origin. The Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies Killer whales in the “Data Deficient” group (DD), but the reality is that some specific populations are already threatened. read more

Orcas may not have a clear-cut conservation status internationally, but the U.S. government is concerned enough about the animals that ply the waters of Washington’s Puget Sound and San Juan Islands (known as the “southern residents”) to put them on the federal endangered species list. read more

Resident killer whales in the U.S. North Pacific consist of the following populations: Southern residents; Northern residents; Southern Alaska residents; Western Alaska North Pacific residents; Resident type killer whales occur in large social groups called "pods," groups of whales that are seen in association with one another over 50% of the time. read more