Off the California coast, a family of killer whales is running out of time. The southern resident orcas — three tight-knit pods known as J, K, and L — have called these Pacific waters home for generations. Today, just over 70 of them remain.

These orcas were declared federally endangered in 2005. Yet more than two decades later, the population still hovers in the low 70s. The Chinook salmon they depend on to survive have grown increasingly scarce. Ship traffic disrupts their ability to hunt and communicate. And experts say chemical pollutants in their habitat may be affecting their immune systems and ability to reproduce.

Federal protection alone hasn't been enough.

Now California has a real opportunity to act. The California Fish and Game Commission recently granted the southern resident orcas candidate status under the state Endangered Species Act — a first step toward formal state protection. A final decision is expected within a year, and public support matters now.

State endangered listing would give California additional tools to address the specific threats these orcas face in its waters — from vessel traffic regulations to habitat policy. It would also send a clear signal that California is committed to protecting one of the most recognized animals on its coast.

Sign this petition to urge the California Fish and Game Commission to list the southern resident killer whales as a state endangered species — before this family disappears from our shores for good.