The purpose of Orca Network's Whale Sighting Network and Education Project is to encourage observation and increase awareness and knowledge about Resident orcas and Bigg’s/Transient orcas, gray whales, humpbacks, minke whales, and other marine mammals in the Salish Sea. We are especially concerned with the critically endangered Southern Resident Community of orcas (J, K and L pods), to foster a stewardship ethic, and motivate a diverse audience to take action to protect and restore these orcas' critical habitat.

The Southern Resident orcas' steep population decline of 20% from 1995 to 2001, with no recovery in sight, is a reflection of the problems and issues facing the Puget Sound and greater Salish Sea marine and watershed ecosystems: declining salmon runs, PCB contamination, and the effects of a rapidly increasing human population including habitat loss and resource depletion.

Through a volunteer Whale Sighting Network, sightings and observations of this orca community and other cetaceans are gathered and disseminated to researchers and volunteers, and are made public on our website and social media pages.