(Photo courtesy NOAA)

Their appearances are thrilling … their predicament, alarming. Get the latest about our local orcas next Thursday when The Whale Trail‘s first Orca Talk of the season features NOAA Fisheries’ Lynne Barre talking about “Endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales: Species in the Spotlight.” Tickets are available now for the 7 pm December 15th event at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor).

Last year NOAA Fisheries launched the Species in the Spotlight initiative focused on stabilizing the populations of eight endangered species at very high risk of extinction. Southern Residents are one of the Species in the Spotlight.

With this effort NOAA is marshaling resources and focusing on partnerships to turn around the decline towards extinction and support conservation of endangered species. Lynne will highlight some recent recovery and conservation efforts for Southern Resident killer whales called for in the Species in the Spotlight Action Plan.

This is the first of the 2016/17 Orca Talk series hosted by The Whale Trail in West Seattle, with help from Seal Sitters. Join us to celebrate the seasonal return of the orcas to local waters, and do some holiday shopping too!

Buy tickets now to reserve your seat. And hurry! This will likely sell out.

Speaker Lynne Barre is the Branch Chief for Marine Mammals and Puget Sound Species for NOAAs Protected Resources division in Seattle. She has been with the agency for more than 15 years, implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act. Since 2003 she has worked on the endangered listing of the Southern Resident Killer Whales, designated critical habitat, developed and finalized a recovery plan, and implemented actions to conserve and recover the whales. As part of the recovery program, she developed an oil -spill response plan and protective regulations for killer whales in Washington.

Tickets are $5 (suggested donation), kids free – get yours now at brownpapertickets.com.