A quick look at this population chart, compiled from data supplied by the Center for Whale Research, shows the precarious survival of the Southern resident orcas. Their survival rate reflects overall Chinook salmon abundance with a lag time of a year or two as births and deaths respond to conditions. Ocean conditions have generally favored salmon since 2000, and while the population may have stabilized in the past few years, seven members were lost, including two reproductive females, from the Southern Resident orca community in 2008, five newborn offspring were seen in 2009, five were born but seven were lost, including J1, in 2010, and three were born and none lost in 2011.
The Puget Sound food web remains permeated with toxics like PCBs, PBDE's PAHs, dioxins and heavy metals like mercury. Watershed, shoreline and wetland habitats are still being destroyed faster than they are being restored. Whenever ocean conditions cycle into less productive phases the resulting effects on the orcas' food supplies could be devastating.
There is no dispersal from, or immigration into, the Southern resident community, so every newborn orca is especially precious while the population regrows. Well-wishers are watching them closely in hopes they will make it through their perilous early months and years. Below are some of the young ones we are watching with hope that they may grow strong and live long.
2009 photo courtesy of the Center for Whale Research.
L110 was rumored in mid-August, 2007 and was photo-documented on August 19 alongside L83. On September 26 L110 was confirmed to be a male. More at
Center for Whale Research.
2009 photo courtesy of the Center for Whale Research
J42 was rumored around May 1, 2007 and was photo-documented on May 2 alongside J16, off the west side of San Juan Island, with the rest of J pod. J16 was without a calf on April 28, so J42 was not more than four days old on May 2. More atCenter for Whale Research.
2009 photo by Kenneth Balcomb, Center for Whale Research.
J41 was first seen on July 2, 2005 alongside mom J19 (Shachi). Twenty-six year old J19 is known to have only given birth to one previous calf, J29, who died in its first year. J19's mother, J4, died in 1995. J19's younger sister, J11, has given birth to four known calves, but one of them, J25, died in its first year in 1988.
Photo by Center for Whale Research.
L107 was also first seen on June 7, 2005 alongside mom L47 (Marina), but has not been seen since early summer and is presumed dead. L47's previous calf L102, born in early November, 2002, survived only about one month. L47's earlier calf, L99, born in 2000, also died in 2001. Her two older calves, L83 (female, born in 1990) and L91 (unknown gender, born in 1995) are apparently healthy.
2009 photo courtesy of The Center for Whale Research Here K38, a male, was first seen on December 22, 2004, tucked in between Mom, K20, and Grandma, K13. K20, born in 1986, was believed for many years to be a male because of her large dorsal fin. This is her first calf, which made a five-generation unboken line, from K7, born around 1910 (died in 2007), to K11, born about 1933, to K13, probably born in 1972, to K20, born in 1986, to K38.
2009 photo courtesy of The Center for Whale Research First seen in late December, 2003, K37 is K12's fourth known calf. K12 (born in 1972) has had three previous calves, K22, a female born in 1987, K28, a female born in 1994, and K31, a male born in 1999. All four of her known calves are still living.
2009 photo courtesy of The Center for Whale Research First seen on 20 September, 2003, K36 is K14, or "Lea"s calf. K14 has had three previous calves, the first two, K23 and K24, didn't survive. Her third calf, K26, was born to K14 in 1993.
2009 photo courtesy of The Center for Whale Research First seen on 4 June, 2003, L103 is 26-year-old L55's third - she has one surviving female calf, L82/Kasatka, born in 1990. She had a male calf, L96 in 1996, who died in 1997.
2009 photo courtesy of The Center for Whale Research On 3 April 2003, a 31 year old resident female orca, J11, was seen with a very new baby, J39, her fourth known offspring. The calf was reported to the Center for Whale Research by Tom McMillen of Salish Sea Charters, and confirmed with photo-documentation by Ken Balcomb and Dave Ellifrit late in the day. The mother, J11, has two other living youngsters: J27, a male born in 1991; and, J31 a female born in 1995. Her first born calf, J25, died in 1988 as a neonate.
J38/Cookie (with mom J22/Oreo)
2006 photo courtesy of The Center for Whale Research J38 was first seen in early January, 2003. Mom and baby are reported doing well as of 2005. Historically, however, J22's sister, J20, died in 1998, her mother, J10, died in late 1999, and her brother J18 died in January 2000. J22 has plenty to do taking care of her earlier calf, J34, born in 1998, and she often takes care of J32, her sister's surviving calf from 1996. In July, 2009, J38 was determined by CWR staff to be a male.
K35/Sonata (with mom K16/Opus)
Photo courtesy of Salish Sea Charters First seen in November, 2002, and at last report mom and calf are doing fine. We're sad to report that K32, the first known calf of K16, born in November, 2000, died in 2001. K35 was seen looking good in 2005.
L102 (with mom L47/Marina).
Photo courtesy of Salish Sea Charters L102 has not been seen since Dec. 3rd, 2002, and it appears the calf did not survive The Center for Whale Research reports that L47's new calf L102, born in early November, 2002, . L47's previous calf, L99, born in 2000, also was listed as missing and presumed dead in 2001. Her two older calves, L83 (female, born in 1990) and L91 (unknown gender, born in 1995) are apparently healthy. Let's hope the other new calves make it through their first precarious years.
L101/Aurora (with mom L67/Splash)
Photo courtesy of Salish Sea Charters L101, Aurora, was missing and presumed to have died in early summer of 2008. In September 2008 the calf's mom L67, Splash, appeared to be ill and she too disappeared in October. First seen October, 2002. L101's mom is L67 (Splash), who gave birth to L98 (Luna) in September, 1999 (see above). At that time there was some confusion about her skills or attitude toward motherhood. In fact it seemed for a while that K18 was actually L98's mom.
L100/Indigo
2009 photo courtesy of Center for Whale Research
First seen November, 2001, mom and baby are also still just fine. L100 is L54's first known calf, which is unusual because L54, born in 1977, was 24 at the time of L100's birth. It's possible that L54 has given birth to one or more other calves that died before they were seen and reported. If so, it would mean she has flushed her body of persistent toxins that build up over the years and are then transfered to newborns, most likely severely damaging their developing bodies. Subsequent newborns, in this case L100, would receive fewer toxins, and so have a better chance of survival to maturity.
K34 (born to K13/Skagit)
First seen October, 2001, and still doing just fine. Mom K13, born in 1972, is also mom to three other healthy offspring, and is not known to have lost any. Her oldest, K20, a female born in 1986, who had a calf, K38, in December, 2004.
Luna was born on or about September 19, 1999, and was seen from the Center for Whale Research the same day. He was first seen with L67 but later that day and for several weeks he was with K18, then returned to the side of L67. He somehow became separated from his mom (L67) and family at less than 18 months of age. Around July, 2001, Luna settled into Nootka Sound, on the northwest side of Vancouver Island, where he remained until his death. His family never ventured into the deeper recesses of Nootka Sound where Luna decided to camp out. Like Springer, he showed his extreme loneliness by rubbing up along boats and seeking out human company. Also like Springer, he was fully competent to feed himself, but there were worries that he would become injured or that his friendliness would get him into dangerous situations. In June, 2004, Canadian officials attempted to capture Luna for transport to a bay near Victoria, BC to be reunited with his family, but when First Nations canoe paddlers sang and beat drums nearby, they drew Luna to them, thwarting the capture attempt. On March 10, 2006 Luna swam too close to the propellors of a large tug boat and was killed.
Although Springer is a member of the Northern resident orca community, she settled in to Puget Sound for six months. Springer lost her mother during the summer of 2001. In the first week of January, 2002, she was reported to the Orca Network Sightings Network in Swinomish Channel, near LaConner, WA, and near Edmonds, WA on January 10. By January 14 she took up residence along a ferry lane near Seattle. Several weeks went by before researchers were able to identify her as a member of the A5-clan of the Northern resident orca community, usually found 400 miles north in Johnstone Strait. Apparently very lonely, she made herself available for onlookers and researchers as she played with driftwood, caught Steelhead salmon (astounding the research community), and visited ferries and boaters. In July, 2002 Springer was captured and transported to a baypen in Johnstone Strait for just a day before she was let go to rejoin her family. She was often seen with her grandmother's group (see photo above) before they went north for the winter. Springer's family has returned to Johnstone Strait in early July every year with Springer looking and acting like an A-5 clan member in good standing. By all accounts Springer's reintroduction to her family was a complete success.
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