Thanks for asking! Proceeds from the Orca Adoptions directly benefit our education programs and research efforts.
Our biggest effort is our Exhibit Hall which is open to the public nearly year-round. Through two floors of exhibits, visitors learn more about the Southern Resident Community of orcas, other marine mammals and the Salish Sea ecosystem. We hope that by learning about this richly diverse yet fragile ecosystem, visitors will be inspired to become better stewards.
Our education efforts include:
Our research includes:
- The Soundwatch Boater Education Program, on the water around the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound. Our Soundwatch vessels are on the water whenever whales are present and conditions allow, intercepting vessels on-scene with whales and provides education directly to boaters whose actions could disturb or harm the whales and their environment. From Seattle to Friday Harbor, Soundwatch is on the frontlines of reducing vessel disturbance and collecting critical data used by policymakers and regulatory agencies.
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The Whale Museum's Response Program, which receives reports of marine mammals in distress or dead throughout San Juan County. Sick, injured, or entangled live animals are responded to by our network of highly trained staff, volunteers, and collaborators. Dead animals are thoroughly documented or collected for comprehensive internal examinations.
- The Seasound Remote Sensing Network, which includes the hydrophone array at the Lime Kiln Point lighthouse. This array is part of the broader OrcaSound.net network which streams live on the internet. This helps us monitor underwater noise which can affect an orca's ability to communicate and find prey.
- The Whale Hotline. Since 1976, we've kept a database of orca and other marine mammal sightings in the inland waters. This helps determine use & frequency which helps identify critical habitat.
