Science & Policy
Underwater and Unheard: The Acoustic Crisis Threatening Southern Resident Killer Whales in the Salish Sea
Beneath the surface of the Salish Sea, Southern Resident killer whales are navigating an acoustic environment so degraded by vessel noise that their most essential behaviors — hunting, communicating, and bonding as families — are being systematically disrupted. This investigative piece examines the science of underwater noise pollution, the regulatory responses emerging from Washington State, and the concrete actions that Pacific Northwest residents can take to quiet the waters these endangered