About the Class
| Presented by Dr. Florian Graner |
There are two orca eco-cultures coexisting in the Salish Sea. The two cultures strictly avoid each other and genetic analysis proved they have likely done so for more than 300,000 years. The two cultures prefer and pursue very different diets. Southern Resident Killer Whales are salmon eaters while Transient Killer Whales hunt for other marine mammals. Both eco-cultures represent the absolute apex of their food pyramids and they are currently on very different trajectories. While Southern Resident Killer Whales are in decline, Transient Killer Whales are thriving and have long become the “True Resident Orcas” in the Salish Sea.
Their story is directly connected to the impact of humans on the health and productivity of the marine environments these whales rely on. It is a story of pollution, habitat degradation and overfishing on one side. But on the other side we have the story of recognizing our impacts, introducing legislation to protect marine species and their habits, implementing better resource management. This is a story of success showing us we can change trajectories of entire food chains successfully. We just need to do it again for ourselves, our rivers, salmon and Southern Resident Killer Whales.
| About Dr. Florian Graner |
Dr. Florian Graner has been a wildlife filmmaker and cinematographer for 30 years and a rebreather diver since 1995. He has NOAA observer diver status, and as of July 2024, has logged over 3,450 dives to film the wonders under the sea. This all began decades ago when he earned his research diver certification through the Biological Institute of Helgoland in Germany. He filmed for the very first BBC The Blue Planet series, the National Geographic series America’s National Parks (directing the episode, “Olympic”), two seasons of Animal Planet’s River Monsters, the Netflix series Our Great National Parks, the PBS Changing Seas episode, “Kelp: Hidden Treasure of the Salish Sea,” and the “Alaska River Race” episode in Disney’s Animal Planet series, to cite a few.
While he holds a Ph.D. in marine biology and is deeply connected to the international scientific community by providing materials and advisement, his focus remains with the production of wildlife documentaries and educational videos. As the founder of Sealife Productions, he continues to produce wildlife documentaries from around the world. After moving to Whidbey Island in 2006, many of these have been under the waters of the Salish Sea, including, Beneath the Salish Sea, Return of the King, and Discover Our Island Shores. His latest documentary, award-winning Orcas – Life in Black and White released in 2025, received strong regional interest and international acclaim. Adding to his endeavors, Dr. Graner became the Executive Director for Sound Water Stewards this past summer.
