The Southern Resident orcas have been scarce in the area so far this season, indicating low runs of Chinook Salmon. There have been no sightings of K Pod yet in the inland waters, and when J pod should be here every day, they have been out in the open ocean for a month now. This really worries me. Historically, all three pods could be seen in the area all year long, nearly every day, but times have changed...
On 7/1/13, all of L pod left in the morning, but the L12's and L22's came back in the night. On 7/2/13, both matrilines foraged and played along the West Side. On the morning of 7/3/13, the L12's left for the open ocean, and the L22's remained. As of posting this, the L22's are still hunting for Chinook Salmon along the West Side.
The L22 matriline is made up of only three members: Spirit L22, and her two sons named Skana L79, and Solstice L89.
We caught up with the L22's on the "Odyssey", a San Juan Excursions whale watching boat, at False Bay on the West Side of San Juan Island, as they made their way South. Skana was the Southern most orca as he went about foraging, while his mother, and younger brother socialized.
On 7/1/13, all of L pod left in the morning, but the L12's and L22's came back in the night. On 7/2/13, both matrilines foraged and played along the West Side. On the morning of 7/3/13, the L12's left for the open ocean, and the L22's remained. As of posting this, the L22's are still hunting for Chinook Salmon along the West Side.
The L22 matriline is made up of only three members: Spirit L22, and her two sons named Skana L79, and Solstice L89.
We caught up with the L22's on the "Odyssey", a San Juan Excursions whale watching boat, at False Bay on the West Side of San Juan Island, as they made their way South. Skana was the Southern most orca as he went about foraging, while his mother, and younger brother socialized.
Solstice L89, born in 1993, swims sideways next to his mother, exposing one of his pectoral fins. His mother, Spirit L22, is estimated to have been born in 1971,
Spirit lifts her tail flukes, as Solstice's flukes poke partially out of the water. The two were being very tactile.
Solstice begins to dive underneath his mother. She then arched her back to let his dorsal fin pass underneath her.
Solstice is still a sprouter male, meaning he is going through puberty. His body length, and dorsal fin height will continue growing until he becomes an adult in his early twenties.
Will the remaining 82 endangered Southern Resident orcas ever be able to recover from all the threats we have given them? They won't without our help.
