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 & L118, Swanson Channel May 29 by Erin Heydenreich, CWR
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