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2012 Spring | Arts & Humanities, Education & Outreach, Natural Science & Restoration

Boats: Linked to Killer Whales Demise

Student(s):

Alexandra Ulmke

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Kari Koski

Partner(s):

  • The Soundwatch Boater Education Program

Faculty advisor(s):

Steve Herbert Department of Geography Department of Law, Societies, & Justice, University of Washington

The interaction between boats and the endangered southern resident killer whales has proven to have effects on their ability to locate food and to communicate. My project analyzed boater-whale interactions in the summer of 2011, which included analyzing boater density and violations of guidelines and federal regulation . On average there were 12 boats surrounding this population. Commercial boats are usually around the whales the most but private boats primarily violate the federal guidelines. By understanding the boat interactions these whales face every day, policy- makers can better protect our killer whale population.