“Whale Trail MidWinter Gathering featuring SRKW Updates”

When: Thursday February 20, 7:00 – 8:30
–Doors open at 6:30
Where: C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW
Cost: $5 suggested donation; kids free
Advance tickets: brownpapertickets.com
Presented by The Whale Trail

Photo of calf J53 and mother J31, photo by Mark Sears permit 21348 (credit if used)
Join us for a midwinter gathering of marine mammal friends and fans in West Seattle. Whale Trail Director Donna Sandstrom will review the current status of the endangered southern resident orcas, and ongoing efforts to protect them.

With the loss of L41, the southern resident population has been reduced to just 72 individuals.
Despite the widespread attention on J, K and L pods, why has so little progress been made?
Donna will also share the Whale Trail’s vision and priorities for 2020. Learn how you can help, and make a difference for the southern residents before it’s too late.The presentation will be followed by an informal gathering of Whale Trail friends and supporters. Everyone is welcome!

Reminder – Whale Trail Photo Contest! We’re sponsoring a social media photo contest until 2/29. Take a picture of your self or your friends at a Whale Trail site, hashtag it #mywhaletrail #location. Follow us on Instagram or Twitter, and post it there. There will be prizes! Check out our website (www.thewhaletrail.org) and social media for details.

About the Speaker

Donna Sandstrom is the Executive Director of The Whale Trail. She founded The Whale Trail in 2008 to build awareness of the southern resident orcas throughout their range. She recently served as a member of Governor Jay Inslee’s Task Force on Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery, and the Vessel Impacts Working Group that supported it.

In 2002, Donna was a citizen organizer on the effort to return Springer, an orphaned orca, to her pod and native waters. It’s the first and so far, only, successful orca rehabilitation and reunion in history.

Prior to founding The Whale Trail, Donna had a 14-yr career at Adobe Systems, where she was a team and project manager. She attended UC Santa Cruz, where she studied psychobiology. Her first book, a middle-grade non-fiction book about Springer, will be published in Spring 2021 by Kid’s Can Press.