Counting Orca

A tribute to the endangered Southern Resident killer whales and Dr. Kenneth C “Ken” Balcomb III, the man who began the census to protect them. Counting Orca is a cinematic archive of a community fighting to survive against the odds of time and the clock of life itself. This story sheds light on the early research efforts to learn about the southern residents and the hope that Dr. Ken Balcomb created for their future.

Ken, a pioneer and legend in the whale world, was more than just a scientist. He was a North Star, a guiding light which illuminated a path for tens of thousands to follow. His deep-rooted love and connection to the whales and their ocean habitat inspired others to appreciate both as much as he did. His groundbreaking ORCA SURVEY study, which detailed and documented the lives of the Southern Resident killer whale/orca population in the Pacific Northwest’s Salish Sea, was a testament to his dedication. It determined that the Southern Residents need a greater abundance of food in a healthy habitat to survive, a message he continually heralded to the world— “No fish, No Blackfish.” [No Chinook salmon, No Southern Resident orcas].

Ken’s Southern Residents orca research began in 1976; it is the longest study of this population. His goal was for the Center for Whale Research’s scientific studies to continue for 150 years, provided there were whales to study. He often said about the critically endangered Southern Residents: “I’m not going to count them to zero, at least not quietly.” The Center for Whale Research’s board of directors and staff are dedicated to continuing Ken Balcomb’s life’s work.

Watch the Trailer