Washington state woman on hunger strike for killer whales

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — A Washington state woman is on a hunger strike to raise awareness of a lack of food for orca whales.

Lanni Johnson says she began her protest April 1 and intends to continue for a total of 17 days to highlight a lack of action on behalf of southern resident orcas in the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound.

The 71-year-old Snohomish resident sits in front of the Washington State Capitol building each day with a sign reading, "Solidarity with starving Southern Resident Orcas."

Johnson says scientists have determined the orcas, also known as killer whales, need an increased food supply over the next four years or they will go extinct.

The Washington legislature created an Orca Task Force in March 2018 to develop a plan to aid the whales.