OkcPets Magazine January 2021

26 OKC Pets • January/February 2021 or J35, a member of the Southern Resident killer whale community. The collaborative effort means the City of Tahlequah is now a “Sister Community” with Des Moines to support SR 3 ’s Southern Resident health assessment research. As part of the initiative, donations to seal- ifer3.org/tahlequah will not only be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Kirkpatrick Foundation, up to $20,000, but an anonymous donor in Washington State will also match donations dol- lar-for-dollar, up to $40,000, in general support of the nonprofit. The Oklahoma Killer Whale Project will also educate Oklahoma-based ocean lovers and form a connection between Oklahoma’s land- locked marine enthusiasts and coastal conserva- tionists in the Pacific Northwest. “A few months ago, I never would have dreamed of reaching out to a group in Okla- homa to help protect Southern Resident killer whales,” said Casey McLean, SR 3 executive director, a marine biologist, veterinary nurse and founder of the brand new marine veterinary rescue hospital in Des Moines, Washington. “As I talked more with Louisa, it really impressed upon me that it’s going to take more than just the folks who live near the Salish Sea and near those whales to ensure that they survive for gen- erations to come. I hope we create many more (of these partnerships) throughout the country.” Save the Illinois River, an Oklahoma non- profit that focuses on environmental health of the Illinois River and Lake Tenkiller, is also involved in the partnership. Save the Illinois is already heavily involved in conservation but says even rivers as far away as Oklahoma have an impact on oceans and marine life. “In Oklahoma, we recognize the connection between our own Tahlequah—a city where en- vironmental and animal protection has a vibrant history—and the endangered Southern Resident killer whales,” said Ed Brocksmith, secretary and treasurer of Save the Illinois River. Additional efforts and opportunities being explored across this partnership include a future Zoom Education Series, an Oklahoma Ambas- sadors Program making future trips to the Salish Sea, and an “Oklahoma Whale Conservation Society.” A local chapter of Drain Rangers may also be formed to allow children and youth to learn more about pollution and how runoff into drains affects the planet’s waterways. “I think it’s a beautiful thing to reach people who may live hundreds or thousands of miles from these whales and help them understand why this is so important,” said McLean. “No matter where you live, everyone has a role to play in protecting our oceans.” For more information or to donate to the Oklahoma Killer Whale Project, visit sealifer3.org/tahlequah.