Are We Too Late to Save B.C.’s Southern Resident Orcas?

It’s hard not to feel something when you see an orca glide through the water. They’re intelligent, deeply social, and strikingly beautiful. But off the coast of British Columbia, one population is in real trouble. The Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) are down to roughly 74 individuals, and scientists are warning that, without serious action, they could disappear within a few decades.

To learn more, check the in-depth article by Lark Researcher Mary Mahon, PCBs Impacting Resident Orcas-Are we too late?

What’s Poisoning the Water

 Bioaccumulation of PCB in marine food chain. Photo credit: Washington Department of Ecology

The biggest threat lurking beneath the surface isn’t something you can see. It’s a chemical called PCB—short for polychlorinated biphenyls. These manufactured compounds were used in electrical gear, paints, and plastics for much of the 20th century. Canada banned them in 1977, but by then, they had already spread everywhere into the soil, rivers, and oceans.

The problem is that PCBs don’t go away easily. They break down painfully slowly, which means they build up over time in the food chain. Tiny organisms absorb them, fish eat those organisms, and top predators like orcas end up with the highest doses stored in their blubber. That process, called bioaccumulation, is quietly poisoning one of the ocean’s most iconic animals.

The Toll on the Orcas

PCBs upset an orca’s immune system, reproduction, and hormones. For mothers, it’s especially cruel. The toxins stored in their fat get passed on through their milk, so calves start life with a heavy toxic load. Many don’t make it past their first few days.

In 2025, members of the J pod were seen mourning another newborn. The mother, known as J36, carried her dead calf for 45 kilometres, the umbilical cord still attached. It wasn’t the first time researchers had seen this heartbreaking behaviour.

Pollution, especially PCBs, cuts into the population’s chances of survival.

What Needs to Happen Now

While PCBs were banned decades ago, they’re still around in older machinery, soil, and landfills. Cleaning them up isn’t simple, but it has to be done. Here’s what could help:

1. Get rid of the remaining PCBs: Identify where they still exist in old electrical equipment or contaminated sites and remove them safely. Proper disposal and stricter oversight can stop more toxins from leaking into the environment.

2. Keep testing the water: Monitoring needs to be constant, especially around salmon habitats and industrial areas. If water quality drops, action should follow quickly. Penalties for noncompliance have to mean something.

3. Commit to long-term research: We can’t fix what we don’t measure. Regular tracking of salmon stocks, pollutant levels, and ocean health can guide smarter recovery plans and show what’s actually working.

   
   

Still a Chance to Turn It Around

The situation is serious, but it’s not hopeless. Humpback whales in B.C. made a comeback once conservation efforts kicked in. The same could happen for the Southern Residents if Canada and the U.S. stay committed and keep collaborating.

These whales aren’t just another species. They’re part of the coastal identity, a reflection of how healthy the Pacific really is. Saving them means fixing the waters that sustain them and us.

If we act now, there’s still time. But wait too long, and the silence on the water will say what we didn’t want to hear.