Orca Protection & Rescue

07/26/2026

Spain, France and many forests around the world are today being devastated by flames. As we watch these landscapes disappear into smoke, thousands of living beings, who never asked for any of this, are suffering the consequences of our actions. Wild animals, domestic animals and humans are all affected by these disasters. They do not choose wildfires or the loss of their habitats… they suffer the consequences. Some lose their lives, burned alive or trapped by a fire they never caused.
Our forests have become more vulnerable due to the accumulation of multiple threats. A large proportion of wildfires are linked to human activities, whether accidental or intentional. Added to this are increasingly severe droughts, repeated heatwaves and conditions that allow flames to spread rapidly. When these factors combine, a single fire outbreak can turn into a catastrophe for all living things. Behind every wildfire are animals, habitats, entire ecosystems and part of our natural heritage that are severely affected, sometimes irreversibly.
Nature cannot protect itself alone against human carelessness. Protecting the planet means protecting all forms of life that make it up, including our own.
To all firefighters around the world, thank you for your courage, your dedication and your daily sacrifices to protect life, people, animals and our planet.
Firefighters’ mottos around the world:
🇺🇸 So Others May Live
🇫🇷 Sauver ou périr
🇪🇸 Dar la vida por los demás
🇬🇧 Serve to Save
🇵🇹 Vida por Vida Voir moins

07/16/2026

Observations collected between 1978 and 2022, spanning nearly half a century, have helped researchers gain a better understanding of how different killer whale populations use Puget Sound.

Analysis of these long-term data shows that Bigg's killer whales (transients) are becoming increasingly common in the inland waters. In contrast, among the endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs), K Pod and L Pod are being sighted less frequently, while J Pod continues to be regularly encountered.

These findings highlight long-term changes in the distribution and habitat use of different killer whale populations within Puget Sound.

📸: NOAA Fisheries Service

University of Washington News👇
https://www.washington.edu/news/2026/06/24/decades-long-dataset

06/24/2026

A study recently published on 07/06/2026 by Manu Esteve, titled “Iberian orcas assess deep fishing lines to detect Atlantic bluefin tuna caught on hooks”, describes a behavior potentially related to feeding in Iberian orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar.

This research suggests that several individuals repeatedly interact with deep fishing lines, manipulating them using their flippers, rostrum, melon, or body (back and belly). These interactions include placing the line on the body, holding it, pushing it, or applying pressure to it.

The author interprets this behavior as potentially corresponding to a form of sensory evaluation of the mechanical properties of the line (tension, weight, or resistance), a hypothesis that could indicate an ability to detect the presence of an Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) caught on the hook at depth.

Link to the study including an exceptional underwater video.👇
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/406319087_Iberian_killer_whales_assess_deep-set_fishing_lines_to_detect_hooked_Atlantic_bluefin_tuna

🇫🇷 🇵🇹 🇪🇸 🇬🇧
🇫🇷 Une étude récemment publiée le 07/06/2026 par Manu Esteve, intitulée « Les orques ibériques évaluent les lignes de pêche profondes pour détecter les thons rouges de l’Atlantique pris à l’hameçon », décrit un comportement potentiellement lié à l’alimentation chez les orques ibériques dans le détroit de Gibraltar.

Ces recherches suggèrent que plusieurs individus interagissent de manière répétée avec des lignes de pêche profondes, en les manipulant à l’aide des nageoires, du rostre, du melon ou du corps (dos et ventre). Ces interactions incluent notamment le fait de placer la ligne sur le corps, de la maintenir, de la pousser ou d’exercer une pression dessus.

L’auteur interprète ce comportement comme pouvant correspondre à une forme d’évaluation sensorielle des propriétés mécaniques de la ligne (tension, poids ou résistance), hypothèse qui pourrait indiquer une capacité à détecter la présence d’un thon rouge (Thunnus thynnus) capturé à l’hameçon en profondeur.

Lien de l'étude incluant une vidéo sous marine exceptionnelle.👇
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/406319087_Iberian_killer_whales_assess_deep-set_fishing_lines_to_detect_hooked_Atlantic_bluefin_tuna



🇵🇹 Um estudo publicado recentemente em 07/06/2026 por Manu Esteve, intitulado «As orcas ibéricas avaliam as linhas de pesca profundas para detetar atuns-rabilho do Atlântico capturados no anzol», descreve um comportamento potencialmente relacionado com a alimentação nas orcas ibéricas no estreito de Gibraltar.

Estas investigações sugerem que vários indivíduos interagem de forma repetida com linhas de pesca profundas, manipulando-as com as nadadeiras, o rostro, o melão ou o corpo (dorso e ventre). Estas interações incluem nomeadamente colocar a linha sobre o corpo, mantê-la, empurrá-la ou exercer pressão sobre ela.

O autor interpreta este comportamento como podendo corresponder a uma forma de avaliação sensorial das propriedades mecânicas da linha (tensão, peso ou resistência), hipótese que poderá indicar uma capacidade de detetar a presença de um atum-rabilho (Thunnus thynnus) capturado no anzol em profundidade.

Link do estudo incluindo um vídeo subaquático excecional.👇
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/406319087_Iberian_killer_whales_assess_deep-set_fishing_lines_to_detect_hooked_Atlantic_bluefin_tuna


🇪🇸 Un estudio publicado recientemente el 07/06/2026 por Manu Esteve, titulado «Las orcas ibéricas evalúan las líneas de pesca profundas para detectar los atunes rojos del Atlántico capturados en el anzuelo», describe un comportamiento potencialmente relacionado con la alimentación en las orcas ibéricas en el estrecho de Gibraltar.

Estas investigaciones sugieren que varios individuos interactúan de manera repetida con líneas de pesca profundas, manipulándolas con las aletas, el rostro, el melón o el cuerpo (espalda y vientre). Estas interacciones incluyen el hecho de colocar la línea sobre el cuerpo, mantenerla, empujarla o ejercer presión sobre ella.

El autor interpreta este comportamiento como pudiendo corresponder a una forma de evaluación sensorial de las propiedades mecánicas de la línea (tensión, peso o resistencia), hipótesis que podría indicar una capacidad para detectar la presencia de un atún rojo (Thunnus thynnus) capturado en el anzuelo en profundidad.

Enlace del estudio que incluye un vídeo submarino excepcional.👇
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/406319087_Iberian_killer_whales_assess_deep-set_fishing_lines_to_detect_hooked_Atlantic_bluefin_tuna



🇬🇧 A study recently published on 07/06/2026 by Manu Esteve, titled “Iberian orcas assess deep fishing lines to detect Atlantic bluefin tuna caught on hooks”, describes a behavior potentially related to feeding in Iberian orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar.

This research suggests that several individuals repeatedly interact with deep fishing lines, manipulating them using their flippers, rostrum, melon, or body (back and belly). These interactions include placing the line on the body, holding it, pushing it, or applying pressure to it.

The author interprets this behavior as potentially corresponding to a form of sensory evaluation of the mechanical properties of the line (tension, weight, or resistance), a hypothesis that could indicate an ability to detect the presence of an Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) caught on the hook at depth.

Link to the study including an exceptional underwater video.👇
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/406319087_Iberian_killer_whales_assess_deep-set_fishing_lines_to_detect_hooked_Atlantic_bluefin_tuna

06/01/2026

These superb photographs by Fei document the movement of this family of orcas off Alki, near Seattle in Washington State, in late May 2026. Enjoy😉
Photos by Fei Cheng.

01/02/2026

✨ The year 2026 has just begun! We wish everyone a year filled with peace, health, prosperity, and hope.

✨ May this spirit of kindness reach our orcas, all ecotypes alike, and all marine life, so they can continue to live, thrive, and flourish in oceans that are cherished and protected.

We wish you a bright, inspiring, and wonderful 2026! 🌟

12/13/2025

Keiko, the Free W***y orca

Keiko’s story continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Born off the coast of Iceland in 1977 or 1978, Keiko was captured when he was only around two years old. He then spent many years in captivity: first in Iceland, then in Canada, before being transferred to Mexico, where he lived in a tiny, unsuitable tank. His health deteriorated severely there.

Made world-famous by the film Free W***y, Keiko became, unwillingly, the symbol of orca captivity. In response to the emotion generated by the film, an unprecedented international mobilisation emerged to give him a second chance.

In 1994, Warner Bros. and producers Richard Donner and Lauren Schuler Donner invited the International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of the Earth Island Institute (EII) to develop a plan to rescue and release Keiko. In November of the same year, EII created the Free W***y/Keiko Foundation (FWKF), thanks to the financial support of Warner Bros. and telecommunications pioneer Craig McCaw and his wife.
David Phillips (Dave) was the central pillar of the entire project. In 1995, the Reino Aventura park in Mexico City officially donated Keiko to the foundation.

At around 19 years old at the time of his rescue, Keiko was transferred to a facility specifically designed for his rehabilitation on the coast of Oregon (USA). There, he benefited from a pool supplied with fresh, natural seawater, pumped directly from the ocean. He regained weight, healed his skin lesions and relearned essential behaviours, such as hunting live fish.

After several years of care and preparation, Keiko returned to his native waters in Iceland, living in a marine enclosure defined by nets while regularly venturing into open sea off the Icelandic coast. Although he spent time near wild orcas, he never integrated into their highly structured and cohesive social networks. This lack of integration profoundly influenced the outcome of his rehabilitation.

“Keiko’s chances might have been better if we had been able to locate his original family group,” said David Phillips.

In 2002, Keiko undertook an extraordinary solo journey, swimming nearly 1,600 kilometres across the North Atlantic to the Norwegian coast. He remained fully autonomous for almost 60 days, without any food of human origin. Veterinarians and orca specialists concluded that he fed successfully throughout the journey — a major milestone in his return to life in the wild.

Keiko died on 12 December 2003, at approximately 26 or 27 years of age, from pneumonia — five years after regaining his freedom, free in his movements and choices.

🔎 Note

At the time of his rescue, Keiko was severely underweight, weighing only 3,500 kg. Once released into his native waters in Iceland, he had reached his adult size of around 7.3 metres and a weight of approximately 5,216 kg.

“In terms of improving Keiko’s welfare, this was a 100% success,” said marine mammal scientist Naomi Rose.

🎥 To discover the stages of his life up to his arrival in Oregon, please watch this documentary👇
The Free W***y Story Stan Minasian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAvsfs2hAmM




Photo credit: Free W***y / Keiko Foundation