Once the proud lord and guardian of the seas, the mighty Orca is now threatened across the globe by chemical pollution, starvation, destruction of habitat and capture. Intelligent animals, Orcas have their own societies, cultures and languages however, with numbers dwindling and calves being born polluted by plastic, if action is not taken to save these majestic creatures they may be lost forever to the very legends they have inspired.

I have set myself this challenge in 2019 and will run, cycle and swim my way across London....every stride, pedal and stroke is to fight for the freedom and security that the magnificent Orca has the right to enjoy. Please help to build a brighter future for these amazing animals by sponsoring my challenge. 

In 2019 I will:

1. Run the London Marathon: 26 Miles

26 is for the age that Lulu the Orca never reached. Despite female Orcas in the wild living up to 100 years, Lulu only reached 20 before she died after becoming caught in fishing equipment off the coast of Scotland. Her post-mortem also showed over 100 times the healthy limit of toxic PCBs in her blubber; cancer causing chemicals originally used in electrical equipment that are leaking into the environment despite being banned in the 1980s.

2. Cycle the Ride London – Surrey: 100 Miles

100 miles is the distance an Orca can swim each day however, in captivity they are confined to tiny pools and destined to forever swim in circles. To me, running, swimming and cycling offer a freedom to roam and explore, a luxury that Orcas in captivity cannot enjoy. Kiska was captured from the wild in 1981 and for the last 37 years has been held in a small pool in Ontario, Canada. For the last few years she has been living alone, a sharp contrast to the large community groups Orcas form in the wild.

3. Swim the Serpentine: 2 Miles

2 is the number of annual Chinook Salmon runs on the Snake River that have been disrupted by hydroelectric dams, obliterating the natural salmon numbers and depriving the Southern Resident Orcas of a primary food source. As a result Orca numbers in this community have declined rapidly and the population is now listed under the endangered species act.

4. Attempt to raise £3000 for Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC).

£3000 will support WDCs work to protect Orca habitats, campaign for an end to captivity, stop disruptions to Orca food sources and educate people on how their actions affect the world around them. In all the situations mentioned above WDC is taking a leading role in campaigning and trying to affect real change but they need our support.

I hope you’ll agree with me that this is an important cause and now is the time to stand up together and protect the beautiful orcas that have for centuries stood as a symbol of family, community and strength.

(Orca image courtesy of Rob Lott)