By Alisa Lemire Brooks | Whale Sighting Network Coordinator
As they do each year, members of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales spent fall and early winter traveling the waters between inland BC and further south into Puget Sound in search of whatever salmon is available to them (mostly chum). With the depletion of so many salmon runs, the pods are still spending much of their time traveling spread out in sub-pods, smaller groups, and in 1-2s. Another glaring shift this Fall/Winter is the absence of L pod in the inland waters of Puget Sound, we’ve no documented sightings of them entering Admiralty Inlet during that time.
Sadly we’ve more deaths to report ~
December 21st brought the unexpected and heartbreaking news that 18-year old J34, known as Doublestuf, son of J22 Oreo and big brother to J38 Cookie (the beloved family known as "The Cookies") was found floating off Sechelt on the BC Sunshine Coast. Initial necropsy reports tell us he suffered from blunt force trauma. An idea by two of our dedicated volunteers to hold a memorial for J34 and all the SRKW lost in 2016 quickly grew into memorials held simultaneously on December 27th in 3 locations; Langley, Whidbey Island; Alki Point, West Seattle; and at Lime Kiln, San Juan Island.
Less than two weeks later, on January 2, 2017, the Center for Whale Research (CWR) announced yet another great and most significant loss to J pod; J2 “Granny”, the oldest known orca and matriarch of the Southern Residents, was officially missing and presumed deceased as of December 31st, 2016. CWR’s last sighting of J2 was on October 12th “as she swam north in Haro Strait far ahead of the others.” The Samish Nation held a memorial for J2 on the shores of Rosario Strait at Deception Pass.
In total, the Southern Residents suffered a heartbreaking ten known deaths in 2016; J55, L95, J14, J28, J54, J34, J2, and 3 unnamed neonates. The population is now estimated to be back down to just 78 members, which is about where they were before the baby boom started in December of 2014.
In the months and years ahead we can only wait to see how they will adapt to the loss of their leader. We have watched them fragmenting over the loss of salmon and CWR speculates the loss of their leader might affect their cohesion even more.
Celebrating their visits ~
While they and we absorb the losses we also celebrate their lives and the opportunities we’ve had to be in their presence. The sightings contributions by this network of whale enthusiasts and allies allowed hundreds of people the opportunity to get to the shores to watch members of J and K pods in the many areas of Puget Sound and beyond November through January. Here are videos by Alisa from November 13th of Js and Ks passing Mukilteo Lighthouse Beach; part one northbound while spread out and part 2 southbound while grouped up in resting mode.
A beautiful and unusual thing happened ~
December 29th had just members of K pod visiting Puget Sound. When they reached the south end of Vashon Island they made an unusual decision to turn left and continued deep into Commencement Bay, downtown Tacoma. They entered in 1-2s, turned around to exit forming into 3 groups (probably matrilines), disappeared for many minutes and then surfaced in one large sublime gathering of all present members as seen here in this gorgeous video: Part 1 The Gathering, and Part 2, the before & after (the entering & exiting).
Bigg’s/Transient Orcas: Puget Sound was teeming with Bigg's/Transients in November, especially so on November 27th when at least the T49As, T37As, T99s, and T137s were identified as being present in a meet up of several pods which took place off Seattle. The T137s (who came from South Puget Sound) and the T37As and T99s (who came from North Puget Sound). After spending some time wending their way in and around Elliot Bay off downtown Seattle they all eventually rounded Alki Point continuing southbound together. December and January have been fairly quiet until the past few days with a small pod in the north Sound.
Humpback Whales: Along with all the other whale enthusiasts, Orca Network staff and Whale Sighting Network (WSN) volunteers have been ecstatic over the abundance of Humpback whales re-colonizing the inland waters of the Salish Sea over the past several years. We had several whales in since our last report and it is one little whale who has stolen our hearts. As was the case in 2016, at least one whale has chosen an extended stay into 2017 and to date has over-wintered in the inland waters of Puget Sound. We have received ongoing reports of a small humpback who has taken up temporary residence primarily in Dalco Passage between the south end of Vashon Island and Point Defiance, Tacoma (Jill Hein, ON board member and PWWA naturalist, also photographed this same young whale in Saratoga Passage last spring, indicating she/he has some fidelity to certain local habitats in the greater Puget Sound area). Enjoy this sunset video of the young humpback filmed by Alisa from the bluffs of Point Defiance on January 27th, 2016.
We appreciate your passion, commitment, and are grateful for your support. Your help enables us to keep the network active and allows us to continue documenting what is happening and to educate the public to the plight of all cetaceans of the Salish Sea, especially the endangered Southern Residents. The recent losses highlight how vital it is we have eyes on the water to bear witness to the many changes happening among the pods behaviors, travel patterns, and familial relationships. A most sincere thank you from the us and whales.
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