The Latest Orca News: Two Species Considered, Marineland Tragedy, and Lagoon Rescue
Release Date: 04/08/2024
The World Just Promised Billions, But Will the Ocean Benefit?
How To Protect The Ocean
The world just pledged more than $6.4 billion for ocean conservation at the 2026 Our Ocean Conference, but history tells us that big announcements do not always lead to meaningful action. In this episode, we unpack what was actually announced, who made the commitments, and why the headline number is only part of the story. You’ll learn why this year’s conference in Kenya was especially significant and what makes these commitments different from legally binding agreements. We also explore the question that rarely gets asked: how do we know whether these promises will ever become real...
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What Dead Seabirds Are Trying to Tell Us About the Pacific Ocean
How To Protect The Ocean
Thousands of seabirds are washing ashore along California’s coast, starving, exhausted, and unable to find enough food. While the images are heartbreaking, scientists say the birds are only the visible symptom of a much larger problem unfolding beneath the surface. In this episode, we explore why seabirds are dying and what their struggle reveals about the health of the Pacific Ocean. You’ll learn how marine heat waves are disrupting one of the world’s most productive ocean ecosystems by reducing nutrients, shrinking fish populations, and breaking apart the marine food web. We also look...
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Who Really Decides Canada’s Climate Future?
How To Protect The Ocean
Canada has admitted it is no longer on track to meet its 2030 climate targets, but the reasons go far beyond domestic politics. In this episode, we explore how changing economic priorities are reshaping Canada’s approach to climate action. The surprising twist is that many of these changes begin outside Canada’s borders. New U.S. tariffs and shifting trade policies are putting pressure on Canada’s economy, forcing leaders to rethink where to invest and what to prioritize. As economic policy changes, climate policy often changes with it. We follow that chain of events to understand why...
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The Hidden Ocean World Most of Us Will Never See
How To Protect The Ocean
Most of us will never visit the deep ocean, yet it covers the majority of our planet and supports life in ways we’re only beginning to understand. In this episode, Andrew Lewin wraps up the Surfacing Secrets series with Ocean Networks Canada by exploring why the deep sea remains one of Earth’s greatest frontiers. You’ll discover how scientists are uncovering hidden ecosystems that could reshape our understanding of the ocean. Andrew is joined by Monica Peltz of Ocean Networks Canada and Heidi Gartner from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to discuss what it takes to study places thousands of...
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What We Don’t Know About the Ocean Could Cost Us Everything
How To Protect The Ocean
How do you protect something you barely understand? In this episode, we explore why ocean exploration is much more than discovering strange creatures or mapping the seafloor. Every marine protected area, conservation plan, and fisheries decision begins with one essential ingredient: knowledge. You’ll discover how scientists collect the information that guides conservation, from mapping underwater canyons to identifying coral gardens and sponge reefs that most people will never see. We also look at what happens when important ecosystems are damaged before we even know they exist, and why...
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How Do Scientists Explore a Place Humans Can’t Survive?
How To Protect The Ocean
The deep ocean is one of the most extreme places on Earth. Crushing pressure, freezing temperatures, and total darkness make it impossible for humans to explore for long, yet scientists continue to make incredible discoveries thousands of meters below the surface. So how do they do it? In this episode, you’ll discover the remarkable technology that makes deep sea exploration possible. From remotely operated vehicles and autonomous underwater robots to multibeam sonar, artificial intelligence, and environmental DNA, these tools are transforming how we study one of the least explored parts of...
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The Deep Sea Isn’t Barren, Here’s Why That Changes Everything
How To Protect The Ocean
Most people picture the deep sea as a dark, empty place where almost nothing can survive. The truth is far more surprising. Thousands of meters below the surface lives an extraordinary world filled with ancient corals, giant sponges, glowing jellyfish, strange fish, and species that scientists are still discovering today. In this episode, you’ll learn how life has adapted to crushing pressure, freezing temperatures, and complete darkness. You’ll also discover why deep-sea ecosystems are some of the most important habitats on Earth, supporting biodiversity, fisheries, and even helping us...
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We’ve Explored Space Better Than Our Own Ocean, How Is That Possible?
How To Protect The Ocean
How can we know more about the Moon and Mars than the bottom of our own ocean? It sounds impossible, but it is true. In this episode, we begin a special series on deep ocean exploration by uncovering why so much of our planet remains a mystery and why that matters more than ever. The deep ocean plays a critical role in regulating Earth’s climate, supporting marine life, and helping sustain the ecosystems we depend on every day. Yet scientists have only explored a tiny fraction of it because of crushing pressure, complete darkness, and the enormous scale of the seafloor. You’ll discover why...
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What Happens to Ocean Science During a War?
How To Protect The Ocean
What happens to marine conservation when a humanitarian crisis unfolds? In this episode of How to Protect the Ocean, we explore the remarkable story of marine scientist Mohammed Abu Daya, whose work studying endangered giant devil rays has continued despite the immense challenges of living and working in Gaza. His story reminds us that conservation is ultimately about people as much as it is about wildlife. You’ll learn why giant devil rays are among the Mediterranean’s most vulnerable species, why scientists still know so little about them, and how local research can shape global...
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The Return of Mangroves Should Give You Hope
How To Protect The Ocean
For years, mangrove forests were seen as one of the world’s fastest disappearing coastal ecosystems. Cleared for development, shrimp farming, and agriculture, these unique forests seemed locked in a steady decline. But a new global study tells a much more hopeful story. Researchers have found that mangroves are recovering in many parts of the world, offering one of the most encouraging conservation success stories in recent years. In this episode, I break down why mangroves are so important for the health of our oceans and the people who depend on them. You’ll learn how these coastal...
info_outlineToday's episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast dives deep into the world of orcas. From the consideration of two species of orca to the tragic death of an orca at Marineland in France, and a delicate rescue operation for a mother orca off the coast of Vancouver Island, host Andrew Lewin covers it all.
Tune in to stay updated on the latest ocean news and learn how you can make a difference for our marine friends.
Link to one of the articles: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/06/stranded-orca-calf-rescue-canada/
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Efforts are being made to reunite the stranded calf with its extended family of transient orcas to ensure its survival. The calf, left orphaned after its mother tragically drowned in a scenic lagoon off the coast of Vancouver Island, is in a precarious situation. The calf is unable to survive on its own in the lagoon, as it requires marine mammal meat such as seals or sea lions for sustenance, rather than the birds it has been seen hunting.
A team of marine mammal experts, drone technicians, veterinarians, environmental consultants, and indigenous people are working together to devise a plan to reunite the calf with its extended family. The hope is that the calf's grandmother, aunts, and other members of the transient orca family will come to the lagoon to retrieve the calf. However, the calf is currently unable to navigate the narrow passage out of the lagoon on its own.
Various methods have been considered to facilitate the calf's reunion with its family. Initially, attempts were made to entice the calf out of the lagoon by playing sounds that mimic the calls of its family members. However, this method was unsuccessful. Other options, such as using a helicopter to lift the calf out of the water or craning it out and transporting it to the other side of the lagoon, are being considered. These methods pose risks to both the calf and the crew involved, as being out of water for an extended period can be stressful and dangerous for the orca.
The indigenous people in the area have a deep cultural connection to the orcas, viewing them as symbolic of their ancestors. The orca's role in their stories is significant, further emphasizing the importance of saving the stranded calf. The collaborative efforts of experts, including the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, veterinarians, and indigenous communities, highlight the urgency and complexity of the situation.
The clock is ticking for the calf, and a decision must be made soon to ensure its survival. The tragic loss of its mother, who was pregnant at the time of her death, adds to the urgency of reuniting the calf with its family. The ultimate goal is to ensure the well-being and survival of the orphaned calf by reuniting it with its extended family of transient orcas.