Your Signature Is Needed: 2 newborn orcas could starve to death

URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Two newborn orca calves are in critical danger of starvation! [Take action now >>]( Between climate change, vessel traffic from Big Oil and shipping industries, cruise ship pollution, and industrial overfishing, Southern Resident orcas are fighting for their lives against human-driven threats. Dealing with stress, grief, and miscarriages, these iconic whales are struggling to survive while their habitats are being destroyed and their critical food sources are being driven away by corporate greed. Two newborn calves were just born into the very same Southern Resident pod that the cherished and deceased Marina was once part of. But these two precious newborns are still weak and fragile -- and they stand little chance at surviving their first year on Earth without enough Chinook salmon to keep their mothers nourished. But corporate overfishing and bycatch is DECIMATING Chinook salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest, driving vulnerable orcas to malnutrition and starvation. Friend, the two newborn orca calves desperately need us to be their voice right now if they’re going to survive their first year. [Will you add your name right now to STOP corporate overfishing and bycatch that’s pushing endangered orcas closer to EXTINCTION?]( [SIGN THE PETITION]( If we are going to restore the already endangered Southern Resident killer whale population, replenishing Chinook salmon is a CRUCIAL first step. But keeping baby orcas alive and healthy isn’t easy for these vulnerable whales. Pregnant orca mamas have a long gestation period that lasts about 18 months at which time they are highly vulnerable. To remain pregnant, mama orcas must consume up to 300 pounds of fish DAILY. But currently, as Chinook salmon populations have drastically fallen, 69% of orca pregnancies end up in miscarriage. Immediately after birth, orca mamas need to provide 40% fat milk to their infants. Again, this is extremely difficult without enough Chinook salmon -- so right now, the mortality rate for newborn orcas is as high as 50%. The fate of Southern Resident orcas depends on Chinook salmon, so it’s URGENT that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) take bold steps to rein in greedy overfishing companies that are threatening the existence of these beloved whales. [Please, Friend, time is running out to SAVE endangered orcas from extinction. Add your name by 11:59 P.M. tonight to DEMAND that NMFS take immediate action to END corporate overfishing of Chinook salmon! >>]( [SIGN THE PETITION]( Thanks for helping save endangered orcas, Friends of the Earth Contact Us: Friends of the Earth U.S. Washington, D.C. | Berkeley, CA 1-877-843-8687 [Contact us](foe.org/about-us/contact/) Email Preferences: [Click here to unsubscribe]( Learn more: www.foe.org/news www.foe.org/about-us www.foeaction.org Connect: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Flickr]( © 2021, Friends of the Earth. All Rights Reserved. [supporter]