Submitted by the Orca Network.

October is Orca-Salmon Month in Puget Sound, a time when Southern Resident orcas begin entering these waters to search for salmon. Please celebrate with Orca Network this month by joining a series of events, learning about the relationship between Southern Resident orcas and salmon, and how you can get involved in recovery efforts.

Youth Zoom Event: 10 Reasons Salmon are ALMOST as Cool as Orcas

Wednesday, October 12, 4– 5 p.m.

Join us for a fun, fact-filled youth event all about salmon! For this month’s youth event we welcome special guest Whitney Neugebauer from Whale Scout who will teach us what makes salmon such an incredible species. She will also include some fun videos of salmon along their journey. Everyone who registers will get a free salmon bracelet kit to make at home. As always, our youth events are free, but you must sign up to get a unique link to join. If you are unable to attend, the event will be recorded for viewing later. If you are interested in joining an email list to receive announcements about our monthly youth events, please contact Katie Watkins at katie@orcanetwork.org. For more information and to register for the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/633526341772743.

Orca Recovery Day Beach Clean-Up

Saturday, October 15, 3:30 – 5 p.m.

Orca Recovery Day is a region-wide effort with local Conservation Districts and many partner organizations taking action on behalf of the endangered Southern Resident orcas. We invite you to join us at Double Bluff beach on Whidbey Island for a beach clean-up. We will meet at the beach at 3:30 and will have some educational panels and docents ready to talk about the relationship between Southern Resident orcas and salmon. Then we will put knowledge into action with a beach clean-up. Please bring your trash grabbers and gloves if you have them, but we will have some available for those who do not. If you are unable to join us in person, please consider cleaning a beach or park near you in honor of Orca Recovery Day.

Share the Water Webinar #6: The Science around Boats and Southern Resident Killer Whales

Tuesday, Oct. 18, 7 – 8:30 p.m.

Please join us for our sixth Share the Water Webinar, featuring Orca Behavior Institute’s director Monika Wieland Shields summarizing the science and rule-making behind small vessel regulations in the vicinity of Southern Resident killer whales. As the endangered Southern Residents are returning to the busy waters of central Puget Sound, we will also review current regulations and best practices for all watercraft while operating around whales.

Monika Wieland Shields is the co-founder and director of the non-profit Orca Behavior Institute, which conducts non-invasive behavioral and acoustic research on both Southern Resident and Bigg’s killer whales. She is a biologist, author, and wildlife photographer, and recently published a new paper on vessel behavior around orcas in the Salish Sea.

Register here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ayS3nrIaRdmN3ozZP_dMQQ

(After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.)

Orca-Salmon Month Event at the Blue Fox Drive-In

Monday, Oct.24, 4 – 8 p.m.

Join us for a family-friendly night out at the Blue Fox Drive-In on Whidbey Island and learn about the Orca-Salmon Connection. The event will begin with games, activities, educational booths, a silent auction, and a kissing booth with Eba the Orca Poop Sniffing Dog! After the activities, there will be series of films, starting with a fun video about Eba the Whale Dog and ending with a new documentary, The Lost Salmon, by filmmaker Shane Anderson, currently being shown in the film festival circuit and fresh off the Friday Harbor Film Festival.

Ticket Prices:

Child four and under – Free

Youth five to 17 – $5

Adult 18 and older – $10