Orca Network's Whale Sighting Network is a unique and effective way to increase knowledge about Northwest whales. Through the Sighting Network, reports of whales are gathered and emailed to network participants, and posted on our website.

Participants on the network include researchers, government agencies, boaters, whale watchers, naturalists, environmental groups, students, media, elected officials, and concerned citizens. Through daily email reports, educational programs, and a dynamic website, participants in the network become more aware of the issues threatening our orcas and the greater Puget Sound ecosystem.

Learning about these issues “through the eyes of an orca” inspires and motivates people to help clean up Puget Sound and protect and preserve our orcas and salmon.

Other programs include:
1) the Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network, to educate the public and respond to marine mammal strandings in Puget Sound, Washington. Investigations into the cause of death of stranded marine mammals enable us to provide important information to researchers and NOAA Fisheries on the health of our marine mammals and their ocean habitat.

2) The Free Lolita Project: Lolita is a member of the Southern Resident orca community and was captured off Whidbey Island, WA in 1970. She has since lived at the Miami Seaquarium in a small tank, and is the only surviving member of the 45 orcas taken from J, K and L pods during the 1960’s and 70’s. Another 13 orcas died during these captures, resulting in a loss of nearly one half of this community’s population – a likely factor in the Endangered status of this population.