— from SF Gate —
The “L Pod” of killer whales is typically found in the waters of the Pacific Northwest, in the waterways off the coast of Seattle and Vancouver. Up there, the marine mammals are closely monitored, by scientists and tourist alike.
“These are the most watched whales in the world,” said Nancy Black, marine biologist with Monterey Bay Whale Watch.
But the group of 35 killer whales went completely off the radar recently; no one had reported seeing them for a month and a half. Until Sunday, when they showed up far from home: in Monterey Bay.
It was the first time this pod of orcas has been seen in the area since 2011.
Since 2000, they’ve been spotted here only four other times — in 2000, 2002, 2008 and 2011 — according to Black.
A pod of orcas that normally lives in the Salish Sea or Puget Sound made a surprise appearance in Monterey Bay Sunday. Scientists were relieved to see the youngest killer whale, now 3 months old, had survived the journey.
The L Pod is one of three pods (J, K and L) of resident killer whales that typically reside in the northwest. They’re different from the transient killer whales we usually see of California in just about every way.
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https://www.sfgate.com/whales-sharks/article/killer-whale-sightings-california-starving-baby-13732727.php#photo-17157592
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