Northern Resident News 2011

July, 22
A85 (Codero) is travelling with the A23s choosing to specifically spend time closest to A60. This is a happy postscript to the sad reality that A51 (Nodales) and her youngest calf are probably gone. A61 (Surge) came in travelling with the A8s. So A51's little matriline has split apart with her demise.
Source: Orcalab

April 15, 2011
Northern resident baby news:
Fantome (A91), Sunday (A92), Cypress (A93), Mystery (A94), Fern (A95), Blackfly (C29), Sweeper (C30), and Naden (C31) have all exceeded their first year of life. Hooray!
Calves A96, A97, A98, D26 and I109 were all born between 2010 and now. None have survived their first year of life yet though so they remain nameless. Hopefully all five (and more) will be seen thriving this summer.
(Source: Orcanetwork)

Fun facts:
Fern is Corky at SeaWorld San Diego great niece or nephew. Though they never knew each other, Ripple (A43), Fern's Grandmother, is Corky's little sister.
Mystery is Springer's aunt or uncle. Springer's Grandma, Kelsey, (A24) is still producing healthy calves in her forties.
Rachel Palmer, B.C. Canada


January 27, The I11s visit Johnstone Strait at January 26 and 27. Orcalab spotted a new baby with I13. This is her third calf after I75, born in 1995 and died in 1998 and I108, Tatnall, born in 2005.

Southern Residents News 2011

February 2011
J1 is missing and presumed dead

Here's a photo of J1 and J2 from last October in Admiralty Inlet. The last time we got to see J1/Ruffles was November 4th in Admiralty Inlet, nearly in the same spot where we were with J pod on Sunday. We were saddened to see J2 without J1 anywhere in sight, and though we hope his big, ruffled fin will show up and surprise us all, he has not been sighted since Nov. 21st, and J2 has been seen several times without him since then.
But if J1 is indeed gone, we know his huge presence will always be felt. His genes have been passed along to many of the calves in all three pods of the Southern Resident community, who will hopefully become big, strong males with massive fins, who will follow along in his fluke prints to become legends in their own time, as Ruffles has been a legend in his~
Howard Garrett

May 29, 2011
L55 had a new calf: L118

L55 with new calf L118, Swanson Channel, May 29, 2011
There appears to be a new calf traveling with L55(see photo above. This is a different calf from the one observed on Dec. 6th seen traveling with L5 (L117). We are tentatively calling the newest calf L118 and will confirm the number of new calves once we have had a more conclusive L pod encounter.
Photo by Erin Heydenreich, Center for Whale Research, San Juan Island
taken under MMPA permit #532-1822 and/or DFO license #2006-08/SARA-34


Center for Whale Research, San Juan Island, WA

Northern Residents News 2010

October 3, G63 of the G3 matriline was reported with a new calf. This means also that G63 is a female. The ID of the calf is not known yet. (source Stubb Islands)

July 19, A34 Simoom of the A12 matriline was seen with a new calf. ID of the new calf is probably A98
July 13, W3 lost her last son W2, Glenville this year and travels with R13 and her calf R47

July 7, A56, Nahwitti had a new calf. ID of the new calf is probably A97
July 7, A13, Skeena is missing and presumed dead.

July 3, A12, Scimitar is back in Johnstone Strait with the two remaining brothers of the A36s: A37, Plumper and A46, Kaikash

June 16, A32, Cracroft of the A36 matriline is missing and presumed dead

June 10, 2010 Nicknames of new borns in 2008
A88 (female), born to A42 Sonora, named Cameleon.
A89, born to A64 Schooner, named Kanish.
A90, born to A35 Skagit, named Pine
B17, born to B14 Klaskish, named Nasparti.

April 8, 2010. A51 Nodales, of the A25 matriline had a new calf. The calf ID is probably A96.

Southern Resident News 2010

December 6th 2010, a new calf, L117 is born. At this moment it isn't known who the mother is.

October 13, 2010 L82 had a new calf: L116
The Center for Whale Research has shared the results of their 2010 summer Orca Survey, with the sad news that we have lost 3 adult orcas and one calf this year.

Missing and presumed dead are:
L114, new calf born to L77 in February 2010, missing when the whales returned in June.
L73/Flash, a male born in 1986, missing summer 2010 (male in above photo).
L74/Saanich, a male also born in 1986, missing summer 2010.
K11/Georgia, a female estimated to be born in 1933, last observed in May 2010.
(Source Orca network)

Sept. 10, San Juan Island:
This morning we encountered L72 and L105 carrying a dead killer whale calf off the west side of San Juan Island. We followed the whales for just over 6 hours, and most of the time the calf was not visible, but on occasion L72 would lift the calf out of the water when she was surfacing. When we were able to see the calf L72 appeared to either be pushing it in front of her balanced on her rostrum or would be carrying the calf on the top of her head, but the calf was negatively buoyant, so had probably not been dead for long. Although L105, L72's ~6 year old son, was within 50 or 100 m for most of the time, we did not see L105 interacting with the dead calf. Based on the size of the calf (approximately 6-7') we suspect it was near-term but no way to know whether it was stillborn or born alive and died shortly afterward. Upon surfacing L72 would frequently appear to 'drop' the calf and both whales would stop and dive deep to recover it. From the photos it appears the calf was a female, and the umbilical is still attached and clearly visible. When we left the whales early this evening L72 still had the calf with her.
Robin Baird, Cascadia Research, Olympia, WA


August 18, 2010 L47 had a new calf: L115.
The latest member of L pod was first seen August 6 from Lime Kiln Lighthouse. The calf was photographed by Jeanne Hyde. After an encounter with L pod on the August 13th, the Center was able to confirm that the calf belongs to L47. This is the 7th known calf born to L47. Two of those calves are still alive, L83 and L91. L47 is also a grandmother to L83's calf L110.

June 27, 2010 L113 is a girl! she is the first known calf of L94 and was first seen in October of 2009.
Center for Whale Research, San Juan Island






February, 2010 - K43 born to K12. K43 was first photographed February 21, 2010 by Jeanne Hyde and was photographed with mom K12 on June 8, 2010 in Haro Strait.

February 21, 2010. L114 born to L77. L114 was first seen and photographed with L77 near Cordova Bay, Vancouver Island BC.
June 2010 L114 has not been seen with its mother in June and is presumed to have died.

January 3, 2010. J47 born to J35. J47 was first seen and photographed with J35 near Vashon Island, Puget Sound.