Phenomena: South Resident Killer Whales
The story of Tahlequah, the bereaved South Resident Killer Whale (SRKW), who carried her deceased calf for 17 days in the summer of 2018. Prior to Tahlequah’s looks, the SRKW population in the Salish sea had been struggling, reaching a 30 year low, of just 75 whales among three pods. The primary food source of the SKRW are chinook salmon, which had been dwindling due to the dams on the snake river which close off precious breeding grounds for the chinook.
- Students will be able to determine the different factors that need to be considered when problem solving in real world situations
- Students will assess the implications of human impact on the ecosystem as it relates to human needs and ecological needs.
Materials List
Handouts
Important Links
Featured Image Description
Illustration of a food web featuring orcas. The image is a cross section of the sea. At the top are two white clouds, the waterline, then the marine life before the sea floor that makes up the bottom the image. From top to bottom and then left to right there are: orca, phytoplankton, plainfin midshipman, zooplankton, sea cucumber, bat star, sea urchin, kelp bass, sea otter, black rockfish, and kelp. White arrows connect the web based on each species diet.