Mar. 29, 2021
Demonstrators form red line along Victoria seaside walkway to protest Trans Mountain
Participants broke into chants of “tanker free Salish Sea” as frosty gusts and rain rolled off the water. Several held signs highlighting concerns over the impact of the expansion on southern resident orcas.
Mary Anne Pare and John Allen were there with their grandchildren to show support for youth that have marched in the streets for a livable planet.
picture reprinted from the Oak Bay Times
PenderPOD Mission Statement
The Pender Ocean Defenders (PenderPOD) was established in 2014 with “the vision of honouring, protecting and defending the Natural Environment of the Salish Sea from actions that could harm it”.
The group now consists of a Steering Committee of 8 Pender Island Citizen Scientists/Activists who are focussed on the health of the Marine Eco System of the Salish Sea and specifically the Southern Resident Killer Whales(Orca), Chinook Salmon(aka Spring/King) and Herring which make up the marine food web.
We do this by various peaceful actions such as education, art, theatre, song, films, poetry, parades, Spoken Word, panel discussions and letter writing campaigns.
A new baby orca has been born this year
The Center for Whale Research confirmed a new baby orca was born to L pod, one of three family groups that make up the West Coast's endangered southern resident killer whale population.
The research centre captured images of the baby orca that show fetal folds, indicating a recent birth.
The baby orca — identified as L125 — appears healthy, according to the research centre.
Imminent extinction. How much clearer can it be? All over the planet, species facing extinction are treated with love and respect that includes protection--except for here in the Salish Sea. The Southern Resident orcas are unique in their intelligence, their complexity of language, their family loyalty, and their echo-location abilities that enable them to find salmon to eat, to communicate with one another, and to navigate through their waters. So, as a critically endangered species facing extinction, why are they still being harassed by whale-watching tourism? Sadly, like so much of our world--it is money first--over life itself. Please love the SRKWs from land. It is the right thing to do--for their lives and for life itself.
Many thanks to everyone who commemorated an Orca.
Sasha, a member of the Kawakatoose First Nation, did two prayer flags for the project. Here she is with her little sister holding her flag for Samish (J14). She also did one for Tanya(L5). Go to the prayer flags and click on her flags to read her story.
Natasha and her family completed 7 flags. Here she is holding Luna and Hugo.
Dear friends,
These twin crises of COVID-19 and climate breakdown show us one thing: we have to use this moment to transform. We’re living through a societal shift unlike any other in recent memory – and our efforts to rebuild must continue to be bold, imaginative, and restorative.
