water photo

OBI Art For Orcas:
20 Years Endangered


An ambitious community art project to raise awareness of the plight of the Southern Residents during Orca Action Month in June 2026
Learn about the Southern Residents
For June 2026, Orca Action Month, our goal at the Orca Behavior Institute was to raise awareness of the fact that the Southern Resident killer whales have now been on the endangered species list for just over 20 years but have yet to show signs of recovery.
‍
Through 75 life-sized dorsal fins - one for every living Southern Resident - we hope we inspired people to learn about this unique population, why they are at risk, and what must be done to help their population begin to increase.
‍

June 2026 Orca Action Month
75 Fins for 75 Whales

To help raise awareness of the plight of the Southern Residents, our ambitious community art project featured 75 life-sized dorsal fins on display throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Use the map below to explore all the fins and locations.
#OBIArtForOrcas

Fin Locations Interactive Map

Instructions for Exploring the Map: Scroll around the map to explore where the dorsal fin artwork is on public display. If a pin has a number below it, that means there are multiple fins at that location. Click the pin and use the magnifying glass icon to zoom in on that location or grid icon to "browse features" and see the list of all the whales included in that pin and their info cards. Each info card includes details about the whale and the artist who created it.

Interactive Map of Fin Locations

Instructions For Exploring the Map:
Scroll around the map to explore where the dorsal fin artwork was on public display. If a pin has a number below it, that means there were multiple fins at that location. Click the pin and use the magnifying glass icon to zoom in on that location or grid icon to "browse features" and see the list of all the whales included in that pin and their info cards. Each info card includes details about the whale and the artist who created it.

75 Fins for 75 Whales

1. What It Is:

This June, during Orca Action Month, our vision is to have 75 life-sized dorsal fins created by the community and on display throughout the Salish Sea region and beyond. Our goal is that these visual representations will spark conversations, inspire storytelling and education, and encourage people to learn more about the plight of these whales and what they can do to make a difference. Every fin will be displayed in a public area alongside a QR code leading to a website to learn more and members of the public can participate by making additional fins of the whales of their choice. As far as medium, OBI-sponsored fins will include paintings, paper mâché, plywood, cardboard, salvaged materials, stained glass, driftwood, even food! Anything goes.

help the Southern Residents recover & THRIVE

2. Why It Matters

The Southern Resident killer whale population is made up of J-Pod, K-Pod, and L-Pod. Despite 20 years on the endangered species list, their population has continued to decline. These iconic orcas are connected to wild salmon, the broader ecosystem, and our shared future in the Pacific Northwest. By raising awareness and building connection to these orcas through public art, we hope to inspire the additional bold actions needed to help the Southern Residents recover and thrive.

FOR EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE

3. Who It’s For

This project is for everyone, everywhere. You don’t have to be an artist, and you don’t have to live in the Salish Sea! Participation is all about passion, not perfection. We want to spread the incredible stories of the Southern Residents across the country and around the world. Whether you want to find fins in your community or create a dorsal fin out of the medium of your choice, you are welcome to participate.

#OBIArtForOrcas

4. How It Works

Through our Whale University classes and research and educational partners, we have secured commitments for 75 artists to create 75 fins, one for each living Southern Resident killer whale. From June 1-30, 2026, these fins will be on display throughout the Salish Sea region and beyond. A map on our website can help you find fins in your area, and we encourage you to find as many as you can and take and share photos of them on social media using the hashtag #OBIArtForOrcas.

Additionally, we invite members of the public to create additional Southern Resident fins to further amplify this message throughout the month of June! You can create your own fin by using a photo for the Southern Resident of your choice and referencing our fin size creation guide. Share your fins on social media using the #OBIArtForOrcas for the chance to be featured on our social media accounts! Explore the Interactive Map of Fin Locations

Salish Sea & beyond from June 1-30, 2026

5. Where and When It Happens

OBI’s 20 Years Endangered project will feature fins on display throughout the Salish Sea region and beyond from June 1-30, 2026. All artist creations will also be visible on our website where they will remain viewable after the conclusion of Orca Action Month. While most fins will be in public locations throughout the Salish Sea in both Washington State and Canada, some will be across the broader Southern Resident killer whale range in Oregon and California, and a few more across the continent and around the world. We believe that connection to the Southern Residents is important no matter where you live, and we can all do our part to inspire the conservation actions needed to support the ultimate recovery of these iconic orcas.

Meet The Whales

Each individual whale has an alphanumeric designation: the pod letter followed by a number that indicates the order in which they were identified or born into the pod. This is how scientists keep track of who is who.
They also each have one or more common names that have been given to them in various ways over the years. We believe that common names help the public connect to the whales more on an individual level, so we've provided our preferred common names here alongside some basic stats about each whale.
J47
Notch
Notch got his namesake marking at a young age. The size and shape of his notch has changed dramatically as his dorsal fin has grown with age.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2010
Age:
January 1, 2010
Pod:
J Pod
Matriline:
J17s
Artist:
Jason and Monika Shields
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
See All Pod Members

Acknowledgment

We extend our sincere thanks to the OBI Orca Action Month planning team. Their dedication, organization, and passion made this massive project possible and helped bring this vision to life.

OBI Orca Action Month 2026 Planning Team:

Andoni Arrambide
Amanda Colbert
Erica Michels
Mollie Segall
Monika Wieland Shields
Sara Hysong-Shimazu
Vanessa Pirtle Franz