Dear Friends, Many of you likely have seen the heartbreaking news that kick off this New Year.... J2 Granny, the matriarch of the endangered Southern Resident orcas, is believed to be dead. With an estimated age of 105 years, Granny was the oldest orca known to mankind and was certainly the most loved one, too. Without Granny, the future of the Southern Resident orcas remains ever uncertain. Her death is most unfortunate. Granny was the leader. She knew where to go for food, especially in times when food was scarce. And food is very scarce right now. I'm worried that a whole lot of other deaths will follow Granny's passing if the situation doesn't change soon. The Center for Whale Research closely monitors this population and was the first to announce Granny's likely passing. If you can, please make a donation to the Center for Whale Research (CWR) so that they can conduct another Health Assessment in 2017. Any amount will do, every single pound and dollar matters! To make a single donation visit: http://www.whaleresearch.com/ (click on "donate" in the window called "Take Action For Orcas".) Or, you can buy a CWR membership at: http://www.whaleresearch.com/orca-store Alternatively, PLEASE join the calls to remove the Snake River dams that keep starving this population of Chinook salmon. See the previous update here for contact information of The White House, Senator Cantwell and Senator Inslee: https://www.change.org/p/british-airways-stop-selling-trips-to-seaworld-end-your-support-for-these-cruel-orca-circuses/u/18856463 We need President Obama to breach the Snake River dams before he leaves office at the end of January!!!! Let us join together in memory of J2 Granny. She will never be forgotten. RIP Granny. :( :( :(