Oregon Coast Killer Whale Monitoring Fundraiser

There is nothing quite like staring out at the open Pacific Ocean and seeing a group of killer whales. Whether from a local whale watch trip out of Depoe Bay or from the cliff tops overlooking the open ocean off Heceta Head, killer whales are keenly sought by naturalists and visitors alike. Throughout the year one may view southern residents feeding on salmon off the Columbia river, glimpse a group of offshore killer whales travelling in deep pelagic waters during fishing and pelagic bird expeditions, or glimpse a group of transient killer whales stealthily hunting for harbour seals in shallow water along the coast.

The Oregon Coast Killer Whale Sightings Group is a research and community initiative of the Oceanic Ecology Research Group to better understand the ecology, behaviour, and distribution patterns of killer whales off the Oregon Coast. With so little known about killer whales off the Oregon Coast, understanding their movement patterns, distribution, population ecology and foraging can help set goals for better management plans for protecting both the species and its resources.

Funding raised will go towards continued support for the group, travel expenses for the upcoming 26th Northwest Student Society for Marine Mammology Conference in Newport, Oregon, and further production of educational outreach material.