— by Lin McNulty —
[metaslider id=49200]
Our new year, 2017, launches with the news of another celebrity death. In this case, it is our very own celebrity orca, J2, also known as Granny.
In 1987 she was estimated to be “at least 45 years old and was more likely to have been 76 years old, the oldest SRKW [Southern Resident Killer Whale] at the time, and the presumed mother of J1,” according to the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor.
The SRKW population is now estimated to be 78 as of December 31, 2016, and J pod now contains only 24 individuals.
Granny was last seen on October 12 in Haro Strait, leading the pod as she had been observed doing thousands of times for the last 40 years. Estimated to have been between 75 and 105 years old, her exact age was unknown, having been born long before orca population studies began.
Six other orca whales were lost in 2016, J2 making the seventh.
- J34 male, born to J22 (Oreo), her first calf, 1998, found deceased Dec. 20, 2016
- J54 male, born to J28 (Polaris) in December, 2015, missing Oct. 2016
- J28 (Polaris), born to J17 in 1993, missing Oct. 2016
- J14, Female, born 1974, missing, August, 2016
- L95, born 1996, found deceased March 30, 2016
- J55 unk., born Jan., 2016 to either J14, J37 or J40, missing January 19, 2016
With no remains found, the cause of death will perhaps remain a mystery.
What are we experiencing here, this is not normal,. Alex, can you help us better understand what is happening in the Salish Sea.. i trust your integrity and passion for your involvement with our local species.. You have a passion for our friends here, do you have any thoughts on what we are experiencing here?? Not speculation, but clearly something is out of balance..
It appears that”officially” the constant and never ending leaking into the Pacific Ocean of radioactivity from Fukushima is ignored and/or downplayed. Logic says otherwise. It is not only Orcas that are dying in the ocean. Those who propose Global Warming for every die-off are not Considering the dangerous and life- killing radioactivity that is poring into the ocean 24/7.
Spirit Eagle