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A Long-overdue Update

10/7/2018

5 Comments

 
Time for a long overdue update.

First, let me apologize for disappearing from this blog for over three months. I feel that I need to explain myself. In the beginning, I was slow to post because I was just busy and orca encounters kept piling up. But then events involving endangered southern resident orcas Tahlequah J35 and Scarlet J50 occurred and it has taken a long time to gather myself. I am sure many of you followed along with the news of these two orcas so I will just cover the basics.

Scarlet J50 was born in December 2014. Still nearly the size of a newborn calf, her body condition began deteriorating in June 2018. By August, she was skin and bones. It was at this time that NOAA, DFO, SR3, the Lummi Nation, SeaWorld, and others stepped in. Breath samples were collected from Scarlet and attempts were made to medicate her with darts and offerings of live salmon. Barely able to keep up with her family, preparations were made to capture her. She was declared deceased by the Center for Whale Research on September 13th after disappearing a few days prior.

While Scarlet was dying, Tahlequah J35 gave birth to a female calf on July 24th. Amazingly, the calf was born alive (southern residents have an extremely high rate of late term stillbirths when salmon isn't abundant) but passed away half an hour later. Instead of letting the calf sink, Tahlequah carried the calf around for at least 17 days. She swam over a thousand miles while supporting this calf on her head/carrying it in her mouth or by its flippers. Tahlequah's family, especially her son Notch J47 and niece Star J46, stayed by her through it all. The calf's body decomposed and was gone by the morning of August 11th. Tahlequah was then finally able surface normally and focus on caring for herself again.

Some people are better at dealing with extinction than others. I am very bad at it. Nothing is harder than watching those you love slowly wither away and carry their dead around in mourning. The grief and suffering that these orcas are going through is heartbreaking. It is infuriating that these orcas are dying because of damage done to the ecosystem by humans and that the higher ups that could actually save them turn a blind eye.

The remaining southern resident orcas need more Chinook/King salmon to recover their population. This means banning Atlantic farmed salmon net pens in Canada, terminating the leases that expire in 2022 for the pens still in Washington State waters after the recent ban, breaching dams that are blocking salmon from spawning, restoring salmon and forage fish habitat, and reducing pollution in our waters. Seals, seal lions, and birds need to stop being scapegoated for the decline of salmon as well. We are the ones responsible, always have been. Killing predators damages the ecosystem further and is just another band-aid solution. Killing seals and sea lions (people are advocating for this currently in both WA and CAN) would cause the decline of transient orcas and then we would have two endangered orca populations on our hands instead of one.


Below are photos from some of my orca encounters over the last few months.

Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.

My blog is down for the time being but you can view my most recent photos on my Flickr page.

5 Comments
Janet Lytle
10/7/2018 09:04:18 pm

Dear Melisa, my heart senses your pain as with my own, for I too love these magnificent mammals and they are so close to humans in many ways. I am from Ohio, and continue to make posts to stop this abuse. This is abuse to Nature. They are starving in slow suffering manner, while still searching for what they know they need to stay healthy and survive. Without the protein and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, their immune system is gravely compromised to fight off anything like the parasites or bacteria Scarlet had to. Money, greed, bureaucracy, stalling, just plain neglect of 10 years, it sickens me as well. I shall continue to pray they get those dams breached yesterday. I shall pray for you, I read of your studies, what I mentioned above, you are well aware of it all, i just am at a loss as you, that folks can let this slow starvation process continue, only God can make for Divine Intervention I feel, and I will leave it at that. May God Bless You Always in all you may decide to do, I thank you for your help, Sincerely, Janet Lytle. 🐟🐬❤🐟🐬❤

Reply
Molly Maline
10/8/2018 10:55:56 am

Tell the Governor to breach the Lower Snake River Dams NOW!
https://www.governor.wa.gov/issues/issues/energy-environment/southern-resident-killer-whale-recovery-and-task-force

Reply
Sherri Constable
10/7/2018 10:04:16 pm

I understand how you can feel the way you do! I have stopped reading or following about the Orcas! Hope you can keep studying them. Praying for you and all the others who study the Orcas. We need you to help save them.

Reply
Jan Hare
10/8/2018 06:53:35 am

Melissa, the depth of your grief mirrors that of many of us. Grief is overpowering and it can be frightening. I certainly understand your need for escape, but I suspect you are stronger than you imagine. Find some refuge, some form of sanctuary, to gather yourself again. As you say, humans are the cause of what’s happening to our beloved SRKW. In my mind, that obligates us to do what we can to help and to bear witness. I believe these incredible minds in the water can grasp the complexities of our species. While they, no doubt, recognize us as the source of harm, I believe they also perceive the love and respect that flows to them from us.
Do whatever you need to do to protect yourself, but don’t dim your light. Let’s surround them with lights of gratitude and love. And if they leave us, we will be with them to the end.

Reply
Molly Maline
10/8/2018 10:58:36 am

No time for pity parties here. Tell the governor what you think. The Lower Snake River Dams need to be breached NOW!
https://www.governor.wa.gov/issues/issues/energy-environment/southern-resident-killer-whale-recovery-and-task-force

Reply



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    Author

    Melisa Pinnow grew up on San Juan Island in Washington State. She attended The Evergreen State College from 2013 to 2017, receiving a Bachelor of Science in marine biology and ornithology. She has been a certified marine naturalist at San Juan Excursions since 2010. It is her hope that sharing her orca encounters will inspire others to love and protect these magnificent creatures for generations to come.

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