Endangered status proposed for orcas

By The Associated Press

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The state Department of Fish and Wildlife proposed yesterday that Puget Sound's orcas be added to the state's list of endangered species "because the marine mammals are at critically low levels and are vulnerable to several continuing threats."

The department made the recommendation based on a status report indicating that the population of "southern residents" in Puget Sound and nearby waters has declined 18 percent since 1995.

The L pod, one of three groups of southern residents, has seen both higher mortality rates and lower birth rates, particularly in the past decade, officials said.

"The solid scientific work reflected in this report gives us an excellent base on which to assess the health of our resident orca population and determine what the next steps should be to protect one of the most enduring symbols of Puget Sound and the Pacific Northwest," the department said.

The "southern residents" that swim in area waters include about 84 orcas — down from a historical high of more than 120 in the 1960s, before the killer whales were captured in large numbers for display at marine parks.

A state listing, which would be separate from the whales' "depleted" listing under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act, would trigger a plan that would guide efforts to protect the animals.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, a citizens panel that sets agency policy, is expected to take action on the proposal at its April 1-3 meeting in Spokane.

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