tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62931249839873833822024-03-12T22:44:10.673-07:00Center for Whale ResearchThe Center for Whale Research (CWR)
is dedicated to the study and conservation
of the Southern Resident Killer Whale (Orca
population in the Pacific Northwest.Lisa Moorbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431340831250858033noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-70672565871137978532013-09-17T12:38:00.000-07:002013-09-17T12:38:07.970-07:00Whale Page # 4 form the San Juan Journal<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Every August we do a special informational page in the local paper,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the <a href="http://www.sanjuanjournal.com/">San Juan Journal</a>, all about the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales. This year, Director Ken Baclomb is the author. We thought we would share them with all of you who don't have access to the San Juan Journal!</div>
<div>
This is the fourth and last installment:<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzJ9Sz_ZDFcYcDWxXBl90-YbRhCtRYWnG23odxg4fcVMcCCDXz1Til18ETQkrnHq3Y1r5vZa02qV1cMiG-upWxyzQUB6nSjWdQV6_d5xcXYNgGxZ7eQ83230R9PutpyeAqfsrZCuUERQ/s1600/L94withsalmon_20041002MPP_DG1-017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzJ9Sz_ZDFcYcDWxXBl90-YbRhCtRYWnG23odxg4fcVMcCCDXz1Til18ETQkrnHq3Y1r5vZa02qV1cMiG-upWxyzQUB6nSjWdQV6_d5xcXYNgGxZ7eQ83230R9PutpyeAqfsrZCuUERQ/s1600/L94withsalmon_20041002MPP_DG1-017.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L94 pushing a salmon on her head-2004</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">What shall we do for recovery
of our local Orca?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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This is a question that deserves some deep soul searching.
There is no doubt that our beloved local Orcas – SRKW’s aka southern resident
killer whales – are at risk of extinction in this century if things keep going
the way they are. Since the first installment of these 2013 Whale Pages less
than one month ago, one more local Orca whale has gone missing and will soon be
presumed dead. The SRKW population count will then be down to 81, and we can
only hope that there will be a birth or two this autumn/winter for replacement.
However, the total number of whales in this beleaguered population is not as
relevant as the number of breeding age whales and the success rate of their
reproduction. It takes twelve to twenty or more years for a baby whale to grow
up and become a member of the breeding population. Females mature in their
teens, but males seem to require longer before contributing to the gene pool –
twenty to forty year olds father a disproportionate number of babies. And, then
the babies have to survive. There are only 24 females and 8 males currently in
their prime breeding years, and offspring survival has not been very good in
recent years due to a variety of causes. We used to calculate that female
SRKW’s would have an average 5.35 viable calves in a 25.2 year reproductive
lifespan, but the rate is much less than that now. Additionally, it is sobering
to note that all but one of the males born in the 1980’s is now dead. Six surviving
females born in that decade have produced only seven calves, and six of these
are male. What went on then? And, what is still going on?<o:p></o:p></div>
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The 1980’s saw an overall abundance of Age 3-5 year old
Chinook salmon in the inland waters of the Salish Sea (Georgia Strait, Juan de
Fuca, Puget Sound) of 3.5 million fish early in the decade reduced to 1.5
million by the end of the decade. In the recent two decades this number has
varied between one million and two million 3-5 year old Chinook salmon
estimated (FRAM model, statistical estimate based upon fisheries and
escapements) in the Salish Sea system. The SRKW population was recovering from
captures during this same timeframe, and reached nearly 100 whales by 1995; and,
then they rapidly “crashed” to 80 whales by 2001, with the decline driven by
mortalities. Chinook abundance modeled for this latter time period of SRKW
decline was 1 to 1.5 million 3-5 year-olds in the Salish Sea. The food
requirement for 100 SRKW’s is at least 600,000 of these fish per year, so
clearly there was opportunity for Human competition for this resource. And,
there remains opportunity for enlightened Human management of activities
affecting Chinook abundance, for fisheries, whale recovery and ecosystem
requirements (nutrients for the forest, etc.).<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is obvious that we should support Chinook salmon recovery
in the Salish Sea as much as possible if we would like to see the SRKW
population recover and frequent the waters around our islands. These whales
will swim a thousand miles to find their food, and we know that they will eat
some other fish to survive, just barely. This summer should serve as a
“wake-up” that our “resident” whales will simply take up residence elsewhere,
or keep moving from here to elsewhere in search of a suitable food supply. We
can watch “transient” killer whales, and minke whales, humpback whales, etc.;
but, the “resident” Orca provide the indicator of the health of the local
ecosystem that we all depend upon. Lets keep them around.<o:p></o:p></div>
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By reading to this point, you have begun to answer the
question “What shall we do?”: Inform yourself by finding out what is going on
in with issues that affect the health of our local ecosystem. Hint: coal mining
and transport, CO2 emissions and climate
change, persistent organic pollutants (POP’s), and marine development are among
the issues. Then, do what you can at home and in your daily life to tread
lightly on what you call your environment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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<br />
<i>Ken Balcomb</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<i>Director</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<i>Center for Whale Research</i></div>
</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<u><span style="color: #38761d;">Some Tips on How to Make your home ‘Orca Safe’</span></u><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Limit your water consumption:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
•Turn off the water while brushing your teeth</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Limit showers to 5 minutes per day.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Reduce electrical consumption:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Set home thermostats for 68 degrees or less. Less electrical consumption means more water for salmon, the orcas’ favorite meal.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Turn down your hot water heater.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Unplug all rarely used items and switch off all unused lights.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Reach for unbleached:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Look for paper products whitened with oxygen instead of chlorine and/or products that contain the most post-consumer content.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Reuse and Recycle:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Put paper towels out of reach; use a sponge or reusable wash rag.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Reuse paper grocery sacks or use cloth bags.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Avoid extra packaging.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Buy local and/or organic:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Concentrate your shopping dollars on buying as much local and/or organic food as possible. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Limit pesticide Use:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Fertilizers reduce fish habitat by encouraging the growth of plants that then deplete oxygen for fish such as salmon.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Pay attention to the chemicals used in cleaning solutions: phosphates used in many cleaning supplies encourage plant growth, which use up the oxygen fish need. Protecting salmon habitat is as important for the whales as it is for the salmon!</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Swim the extra mile:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• Can you walk or ride a bike instead of drive? How about carpooling?</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d;">Check out </span><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.whaleresearch.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">www.whaleresearch.com,</span></a> </span><span style="color: #38761d;">where you can order this year’s ‘Orca Survey: a Naturalists Family Tree Guide to </span><span style="color: #38761d;">the Orca Whales of the Southern Resident Community”. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d;">To learn more about killer whales in the Northwest </span><span style="color: #38761d;">and around the world and how you can help visit these websites (</span><span style="color: #38761d;">The following list of websites may provide additional
information to the reader, but they should not necessarily be taken as
endorsement by the author) </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.co2now.org<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.nwr.noaa.gov/protected_species/salmon_steelhead/recovery_planning_and_implementation/puget_sound/puget_sound_chinook_recovery_plan.html<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.psp.wa.gov/SR_status.php<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.epa.gov/international/toxics/pop.html<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.ipcc.ch<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.epa.gov/climatechange/<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.mrsc.org/subjects/transpo/coaltrans.aspx<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.lltk.org/rebuilding-populations/glenwood-hatchery/overview<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.nps.gov/olym/naturescience/elwha-fish-restoration.htm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/healthy-oceans-blog/2013/07/pacific-underwater-calendar-killer-whales-and-chinook-salmon-in-july/<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/status/1999/D6-11e.pdf<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">www.orcanetwork.org </span></div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br />www.whalemuseum.org <br /><br />www.killerwhaletales.org <br /><br />www.saveoursalmon.ca <br /><br />www.wildwhales.org/killer-whale/ <br /><br />www.ptmsc.org/orca_project.html <br /><br />www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/cbd/marine_mammal/marinemammal.cfm <br /><br />www.swfsc.noaa.gov/PRD-KillerWhale/ <br /><br />www.nmfs.noaa.gov./pr/species/mammals/cetaceans/killerwhale.htm</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
</div>
<div style="min-height: 14px;">
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="min-height: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #2d2829; font-size: 8px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="color: #2d2829; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 9px;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-71770864536762854072013-09-07T10:49:00.000-07:002013-09-07T10:49:16.478-07:00Photogrammetry
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Photogrammetry to
monitor growth and nutritional status of endangered southern resident killer
whales</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwcD_XDcSVT9trW1pw-Hv936Ew5g7bskjGxFPDCsfUHKS25YPXcgFnO6CknMoZWYx6_eC5QwYuxRCZroe2Afkkqen_AT9KVDK8Xzg8e8OWEqsozQl1k575AGxSb9ypcEnIXtEmrNMKVI/s1600/JWD_5886_2013-09-04+00-19-40_edit_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwcD_XDcSVT9trW1pw-Hv936Ew5g7bskjGxFPDCsfUHKS25YPXcgFnO6CknMoZWYx6_eC5QwYuxRCZroe2Afkkqen_AT9KVDK8Xzg8e8OWEqsozQl1k575AGxSb9ypcEnIXtEmrNMKVI/s400/JWD_5886_2013-09-04+00-19-40_edit_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aerial photograph taken
in September 2013 from a helicopter platform 864ft above southern resident
killer whales</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Research
approach authorized by National Marine Fisheries Permit # </i>15569.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In 2008 a project supported by the NOAA Northwest Regional
Office and conducted in partnership between the Center for Whale Research (CWR)
and NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) demonstrated the utility of
using aerial photogrammetry to estimate morphometrics of southern resident
killer whales (SRKWs; Durban et al. 2009; Fearnbach et al. 2011). Using
photographs obtained from a helicopter platform, <span style="color: #1b1c20;">lengths
were estimated for 66 individually identifiable whales, representing more than three-quarters
of the population. Estimated whale lengths ranged from 2.7 m for a neonate
whale in its first year of life, to a maximum of 7.2 m for a 31 yr old adult
male. Adult males reached an average (asymptotic) size estimate (±SE) of 6.9 ±
0.2 m, with growth slowing notably after the age of 18 yr; this was
significantly larger than the asymptotic size of 6.0 ± 0.1 m for females, which
was reached after the earlier age of 15 yr. On average, older adults (>30
yr) were 0.3 m longer than the</span> <span style="color: #1b1c20;">younger
whales of adult age; it was hypothesized that a long-term reduction in food
availability may have reduced early growth rates and subsequent adult size in
recent decades </span>(Fearnbach et al. 2011).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A recent report of the independent science panel on the
effects of salmon fisheries SRKWs highlighted uncertainty over the link between
prey availability and population dynamics (Hilborn et al. 2012). Specifically,
the panel cited key a data gap of whether the abundance of their preferred
prey, Chinook salmon, is low enough to cause nutritional stress, and
recommended the further use of photogrammetry to monitor the whales’
nutritional status.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Although initially used to estimate whale lengths, analyses
of the 2008 images have also shown potential for detecting changes in whale
shape that can be related to body condition (Durban et al. 2009; Durban et al.
2012). Following the panel’s recommendation, the NOAA Northwest Fisheries
Science Center is supporting a second photogrammetry field effort in September
2013, conducted in collaboration by CWR and the photogrammetry group at SWFSC,
which aims to obtain longitudinal data from many of the same individual whales
photographed previously. This will begin an examination of temporal changes in
body condition of specific individuals to assess changes relative to
reproductive status and age, and ultimately to assess body changes relative to
Chinook salmon abundance. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPmEqI2DzB3fGhyphenhyphenMS2k1bRLEffST0CYVngDj00cmRRrq9C2Ne0K7HS2ujHVUV12_LdRpc0v5JBbjaVUVTg7Om6lMk6rja-xPD2pHBl_o1jDNhbRXsBz01bej_gtfr6UnjlYBH6pkzj68/s1600/JWD_5573_2013-09-03+23-59-10_edit_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPmEqI2DzB3fGhyphenhyphenMS2k1bRLEffST0CYVngDj00cmRRrq9C2Ne0K7HS2ujHVUV12_LdRpc0v5JBbjaVUVTg7Om6lMk6rja-xPD2pHBl_o1jDNhbRXsBz01bej_gtfr6UnjlYBH6pkzj68/s400/JWD_5573_2013-09-03+23-59-10_edit_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aerial photograph taken
in September 2013 from a helicopter platform 1051ft above southern resident
killer whales</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Research
approach authorized by National Marine Fisheries Permit # </i>15569.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For more information, please contact John.Durban@noaa.gov<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">References</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Durban, J., Fearnbach, H., Ellifrit, D., and Balcomb, K.C.
2009. Size and body condition of southern resident killer whales. Contract
report to the Northwest Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service,
Order number AB133F08SE4742, Requisition Number NFFP5000-8-43300.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Durban, J., Fearnbach, H., Balcomb, K.C., and Ellifrit, D.
2012. Size and Body Condition of Southern Residents. In Evaluating the Effects
of Salmon Fisheries on Southern Resident Killer Whales: Workshop 3, September
18-20, 2012. NOAA Fisheries and DFO (Fisheries and Oceans Canada), Seattle, WA.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fearnbach, H., Durban, J., Ellifrit, D., and Balcomb, K.C.
2011. Size and long-term growth trends of endangered fish-eating killer whales.
Endangered Species Research 13: 173–180. doi: 10.3354/esr00330.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hilborn, R., S.P. Cox, F.M.D. Gulland, D.G. Hankin, N.T.
Hobbs, D.E. Schindler, and A.W. Trites. 2012. The Effects of Salmon Fisheries
on Southern Resident Killer Whales: Final Report of the Independent Science
Panel. Prepared with the assistance of D.R. Marmorek and A.W. Hall, ESSA
Technologies Ltd., Vancouver, B.C. for National Marine Fisheries Service
(Seattle. WA) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Vancouver. BC). xv + 61 pp. +
Appendices.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-89896293163207926772013-09-03T14:51:00.002-07:002013-09-03T14:52:54.508-07:00Whale Page # 3 from the San Juan Journal<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Every August we do a special informational page in the local paper,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the <a href="http://www.sanjuanjournal.com/">San Juan Journal</a>, all about the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales. This year, Director Ken Baclomb is the author. We thought we would share them with all of you who don't have access to the San Juan Journal!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This is the third installment:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-align: right;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Habitat Critical to Orca Survival</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; text-align: right;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-align: right;">I</span><span style="text-align: right;">n previous editions of the Whale Pages, we made the distinction between our </span><span style="text-align: right;">Southern Resident </span><span style="text-align: right;">Killer Whales (SRKW’s in government jargon – Orcas in our local jargon) and Transient killer</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
whales (T’s in our local jargon). It is the SRKW/ Orca population of these whales that historicaly</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
frequented the Salish Sea from May through September each year, folowing the once abundant </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Chinook salmon “runs” to the spawning rivers in this region. It was in response to the Orca population </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
decline beginning in 1996 that the SRKW population was listed as Endangered in 2005, and </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
a critical habitat area (see below) was defined in US waters. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypLzi5N64joZmEG22cZnb7h291w2fwLaoScCveVeIpxombTCQL0v0HJpkRxDCMG2WN-5ELEKMzOSaN_jRgJ9OmXJhcPvcuIM-M38X6E0i62uQZvbKfKe2PFP8SiQk0TYV7Lm8C-B3UA8/s1600/killerwhale_sr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypLzi5N64joZmEG22cZnb7h291w2fwLaoScCveVeIpxombTCQL0v0HJpkRxDCMG2WN-5ELEKMzOSaN_jRgJ9OmXJhcPvcuIM-M38X6E0i62uQZvbKfKe2PFP8SiQk0TYV7Lm8C-B3UA8/s400/killerwhale_sr.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Map by National Marine Fisheries Service</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Following the listing of the Southern Resident killer whales as</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">endangered in 2005, the National Marine Fisheries Service designated</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">much of the inland waters of Washington State, now</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">termed the Salish Sea, as critical habitat.</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbYY8YV4VNn2_ncC6YF-EANVUGOqpizPsZmPluYao0MXzpXkEVyy80pzIRD3NMPx4wOr9BbnZZad9P9UM7TwhAvUjB2ooVZOyStlrrh28Or9t5KaSYgHrEoJ7ArJuLrYFm7IkCStjBXA/s1600/SRKW+distribution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbYY8YV4VNn2_ncC6YF-EANVUGOqpizPsZmPluYao0MXzpXkEVyy80pzIRD3NMPx4wOr9BbnZZad9P9UM7TwhAvUjB2ooVZOyStlrrh28Or9t5KaSYgHrEoJ7ArJuLrYFm7IkCStjBXA/s640/SRKW+distribution.jpg" width="352" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Canada subsequently designated a large area of the Salish Sea north of the US/Canada border as critical habitat under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). It is important to note that these critical habitat designations were based upon legitimate concern for the survival of this beleaguered population of whales, but they are really just words and geographic coordinates – not food that whales need. Our “local” Orcas travel as necessary to and their preferred prey </div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
species – Chinook salmon – and we know that some of the Orca pods go as far south as Central California and as far north as Southeast Alaska in their winter search for this food. In fact, the entire eastern North Paci c continental shelf in this area is habitat for the Chinook salmon that were historically available year-round in feeder schools and river-bound migrants with overlapping schedules (spring, winter, fall, summer, and late-fall, with summer and fall runs predominating). e coastal biomass of this species was enormous, supporting a commercial troll fishery as recently as 1979 yielding a quarter of a milion 15- 45 pound Chinook salmon each year
</div>
from the Washington coast, and approximately one million similar sized Chinook from the British Columbia coast. These fish were headed to the river watersheds of Puget Sound and Georgia Strait, and the big one – the Columbia River. This later major river system alone saw the return of five to nine million big adult Chinook salmon in the mid to late 1800’s (pre-dam construction), and returns dwindling to a much- heralded projection of 678,000 this year The Fraser River “run” of Chinook salmon is in deep trouble with test series currently indicating a near collapse of the spawning population – a major food source for our Orcas in the Salish Sea. Perhaps the absence of our beloved Orca around San Juan Island this year is related to the absence of food – Fraser River Chinook salmon, in particular. It is doubtful that more words of SRKW critical habitat designation and geographic coordinates will sufficiently address this situation. What we need to do is encourage (if not demand) wild salmon population recovery in al watersheds of the Salish Sea, and enthusiastically applaud the Elwha dam removal for the return of spawning habitat to that river’s legendary Chinook.<br />
<br />
<br />
For more information see also:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/%20news/mar0113a/" target="_blank">wdfw.wa.gov/news/mar0113a/</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/chinooksalmon.htm" target="_blank">www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/chinooksalmon.htm, </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1330521019">www.npafc.org/new/ pulications/Buletin/Buletin%20</a><a href="http://no.%204/077-091Heard.pdf">No.%204/077-091Heard.pdf</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-5522998035021550992013-09-03T13:25:00.001-07:002013-09-03T13:25:15.740-07:00Notification of upcoming research<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;">Starting this week, September 3rd:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;">The Center for Whale Research, in collaboration with the photogrammetry group from the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, will be conducting a month-long field effort to assess the body condition, size and growth of individual southern resident killer whales, in order to assess their nutritional status. Funded by the NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center, this is a continuation of work first conducted in 2008, using a helicopter platform to obtain vertical images of whales from above in order to measure key morphometrics. Seven one-hour flights will be conducted during the month of September, to begin as early as September 3rd pending the whales' availability; the helicopter will typically operate at altitudes >1000ft, with permitted descents no lower than 750ft, and will coordinate with Center for Whale Research boats on the water to maximize coverage of different individuals. For more information contact <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:John.Durban@noaa.gov">John.Durban@noaa.gov</a>.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-82122058680270043092013-08-27T17:39:00.001-07:002013-08-27T17:39:10.337-07:00Whale Page # 2 from the San Juan Journal<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Every August we do a special informational page in the local paper,<br />
the <a href="http://www.sanjuanjournal.com/">San Juan Journal</a>, all about the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales. This year, Director Ken Baclomb is the author. We thought we would share them with all of you who don't have access to the San Juan Journal!<br />
This is the second installment:<br />
<br /></div>
<h4>
What do Orca Whales Like to Eat?</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I</span>n the previous article in the Whale Pages, we presented the fact that the whales we call Killer or Orca represent a complex of many distinct populations that may prove to qualify as species; and, here we present the fact that these distinct populations specialize or “like to eat” particular prey species. All of the populations of so-called Killer whales are predatory animals currently assigned to one species (Orcinus orca, Linnaeus, 1758), and they must eat to survive; but, the preferred prey species for each population varies according to what is locally abundant and available in the marine ecosystem within swimming range. The classic studies regarding what “Killer” whales like to eat came from examination of stomach contents of these whales that were stranded in various locations around the world, or taken by whalers. The food items were fish, squid, seals, porpoises, other whales, etc. that led to the early conclusion that Orcinus orca was euryphagous, that is they fed upon a wide variety of prey and could switch diet if a particular variety became scarce. More comprehensive recent studies, including those done by the Center for Whale Research, indicate that each branch of the Orca family tree tends to strongly lean toward a prey species that is locally available and sufficiently abundant year-round for a very long time (many whale lifetimes). This tendency is termed stenophagy – a narrow variety of prey species; and, over the evolutionary time scales available from thousands of whale lifetimes it has resulted in very distinct differences in the anatomy and morphology of the various whale populations.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXl1c5Bw0ImRq9cFAD5X5w-zmb7JABhjbJXdspK5OlKS8L3k9ZVThOSDrMMrLIsnE8aQZdNWk4l-ZNThyfuaZudUwfNnkCLjav9Bl_W5HLHEaA2wsTsixr8B6DgRj-fQf33wRS0f7MXuc/s1600/Transient.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXl1c5Bw0ImRq9cFAD5X5w-zmb7JABhjbJXdspK5OlKS8L3k9ZVThOSDrMMrLIsnE8aQZdNWk4l-ZNThyfuaZudUwfNnkCLjav9Bl_W5HLHEaA2wsTsixr8B6DgRj-fQf33wRS0f7MXuc/s1600/Transient.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transient killer whale with a harbor seal in it's mouth-<br />
Photo by Dave Ellifrit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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“Transient”
<b><i>Orcinus
orca </i></b>whales may indeed be properly called “killers” (at least by the
seals, sea lions and porpoises they consume), and they have very robust jaw
structure with relatively big teeth (the better to bite you with, my dear).
Their lifestyle is rather nomadic, as they travel with the seasonal migrations
and/or the seasonal birthing and weaning cycles of their prey species. These
mammal predator whales typically venture into the waters around the San Juan
Islands in autumn and winter months when harbor seals are weaned (and
unsuspecting), and when sea lions overwinter in the Salish Sea. Typically the
“transients” travel in relatively small groups of 3-15 relatives and
associates, and they are usually stealthy (non-vocal, so the prey species
cannot hear them). This year (2013) we have witnessed an unprecedented influx
of “transients” around the San Juan Islands, some coming from as far as
California and Alaska. There are about 250 “transient” killer whales in the
Center for Whale Research catalogue for this area.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMwo7HfyxeLaytKhm7PGBPxMclS3YTZYKIN_zSRoOI53zapexEDULEWpWwNVcjwZtik-9jQTi1_A2tJtqs7SnPApNyBElWJtnYXvbzWQYO9Ize_IWvnAVPyBpCf-nZt5FuQlK3DYBZRQ/s1600/L84.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMwo7HfyxeLaytKhm7PGBPxMclS3YTZYKIN_zSRoOI53zapexEDULEWpWwNVcjwZtik-9jQTi1_A2tJtqs7SnPApNyBElWJtnYXvbzWQYO9Ize_IWvnAVPyBpCf-nZt5FuQlK3DYBZRQ/s1600/L84.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Resident, L84, with a salmon in his mouth-<br />
Photo by Dave Ellifrit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Orcinus
orca</i></b> whales may be properly called “Orca”, a term that is more fitting
with the image of a peaceful non-stress-inducing population of mellow fish-eating
predators with less robust jaw architecture and smaller teeth than “transient”
killer whales. The “resident” lifestyle is adapted to the migrations and
seasonal abundance of salmon in the eastern North Pacific Ocean. The salmon
most available year-round within the “resident” swimming range are Chinook, or
Kings, which happen to be the largest and most nutritious species of salmon in
the world (formerly weighing up to 125 pounds each!). Chinook lifestyle, in
turn, is predatory upon smaller fishes that are in greatest abundance on the
continental shelf of the Pacific Ocean near the edge of upwelling currents.
Chinook salmon have been taken in Human fisheries by the millions each year for
the past century, and most wild populations of these fish are now “Endangered”
with many already extinct. The “resident” Orca whales typically venture into
the waters around the San Juan Islands in pod and multi-pod associations
(Superpods) from May to September when the mature Chinook salmon are bound primarily
for the Fraser River for spawning, though a few migrate to other river systems
in the Salish Sea. Thus, we have an Endangered whale species obligate feeding
upon an Endangered salmon species – a revolting development unforeseen by dam
builders, habitat usurpers, and fishermen. As of 2013, there are currently 82
southern “resident” Orca whales in this population, down from nearly 100 twenty
years ago, and down from more than 200 that we have catalogued. We have
demonstrated that the “resident” Orca survival is significantly linked to
Chinook abundance, and the government managers on both sides of the US/Canada
border should take more notice of this inconvenient truth before it is too
late. This year (2013) during the summer when whale-watching is historically
best, we have witnessed an unprecedented absence of “residents” around the San
Juan Islands, and a continuing downtrend in their population number concurrent
with a near collapse of Fraser River Chinook.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Ken Balcomb</i><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<i>Director</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<i>Center for Whale Research</i></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-85281290257318354432013-08-19T16:29:00.004-07:002013-08-19T16:30:05.381-07:00Whale Pages from the San Juan Journal<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;">E</span>very August we do a special informational page in the local paper, the <a href="http://www.sanjuanjournal.com/" target="_blank">San Juan Journal</a>, all about the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales. This year, Director Ken Baclomb is the author. We thought we would share them with all of you who don't have access to the San Juan Journal!</div>
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<b>Keeping an eye on local Orca whales </b></div>
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Whales of
any species can be individually recognized by their natural shapes and color
patterns using a technique called “photo-identification” that was pioneered in
the 1960’s and 70’s by biologists at San Juan Island’s Center for Whale
Research. The local “killer whales”, now affectionately known as Orca, are
among the most distinctively appearing whales in the world, and many
individuals can be easily recognized by naturalists and admirers of wildlife.
To assist with this recognition, a photo-identification catalogue of every
individual orca whale common to the Pacific Northwest has been maintained by
biologists at the Center since 1976, and it is updated every year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGu6P_0lv8V-Z7Eva5RHM3z7_ezl2sqDeZjg6sS5ET-pDmiT1t46enaocdMf8R2RE2kJo6GQgTvJ2zzO7oVS2NVZiuqStoWTwk6KkoTaeZKN7f6Pk697LGrHSaDVnoXtEdq9Ax8KQq9Jc/s1600/L54s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGu6P_0lv8V-Z7Eva5RHM3z7_ezl2sqDeZjg6sS5ET-pDmiT1t46enaocdMf8R2RE2kJo6GQgTvJ2zzO7oVS2NVZiuqStoWTwk6KkoTaeZKN7f6Pk697LGrHSaDVnoXtEdq9Ax8KQq9Jc/s1600/L54s.jpg" height="185" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;"><i>Above, L54 and her three offspring are shown </i></span><i style="color: #999999;">as a family tree. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i style="color: #999999;">The matriarch, L54, is at the </i><i style="color: #999999;">top, with her descendants below, eldest to </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i style="color: #999999;">youngest </i><i style="color: #999999;">from left to right. L117, who’s sex is unknown, </i><i style="color: #999999;">is the youngest of </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i style="color: #999999;">L54’s calves, born in 2010. New </i><i style="color: #999999;">born calves often have a grey and mottled </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i style="color: #999999;">looking </i><i style="color: #999999;">saddle patch. Because calves stay close to their </i><i style="color: #999999;">mothers for the first </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i style="color: #999999;">year or so of their life, they </i><i style="color: #999999;">are often identified by their association with</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999;"><i>their mother rather than their saddle patch. To </i></span><i style="color: #999999;">identify older individual whales, </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i style="color: #999999;">look closely at </i><i style="color: #999999;">the details of the saddle patch of each animal in </i><i style="color: #999999;">the subgroup. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i style="color: #999999;">Every orca </i></span><i style="color: #999999; font-size: medium;">whale has a distinct </i><i style="color: #999999; font-size: medium;">and unique saddle patch, </i></div>
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<i style="color: #999999; font-size: medium;">much like a human </i><i style="color: #999999; font-size: medium;">fingerprint, </i><i style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;"> unlike any other whale in the world.</span></i></div>
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As a result
of this cataloguing some very remarkable facts have been uncovered about the
local Orca whales and about their species worldwide. For example, their natural
lifespan is long (comparable to human lifespan to eighty or more years) and
they travel in family groups (known as “pods”) swimming 75 miles per day on
average. Three of these family groups, designated J,K, and L pods, are
frequently seen travelling back and forth around the San Juan Islands from May
to October; and, they have been termed “resident”. Other family groups and
individuals are typically less frequently seen around the San Juan Islands;
and, they have been termed “transient”. From long-term observation and genetic
studies it has been learned that the “residents” and “transients” do not mix
and interbreed – they are very, very distant relatives, somewhat analogous to
Humans and Neanterthals but both living at the same time, and in the same
general area.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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In fact,
when we extend these individual and genetic studies we find that there are
probably ten or more distantly related large branches of the Orca family tree
worldwide that do not naturally mix or interbreed, and they have been on this
planet much longer than we Humans have. Scientists are just now trying to
determine whether this arrangement constitutes a complex of many species, and
why. Nonetheless, we have a very precious “resident” population here in the San
Juans, and they have been recently affirmed as Endangered under the US
Endangered Species Act and Canada’s Species at Risk Act.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The
questions are out there, from deep pondering about the roles that species play
in the web of life on Earth, to what time will the whales be seen at Lime Kiln
whale-watch park. We do not yet have all of the answers, but if we keep our eye
on the welfare of our precious local Orca whales we may just have a chance to
find out how “our” world works, and maybe we will be smart enough to keep it
working.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUznuwY2kpaHEET92NrYu6pGzTUXEGSMNKp1huou2A588KM_W3MXce9HvINA_5Ms2wZXOih9UemgQyGZD9v2n9oMHuSSiIeaha2EJis7IlVbYhrS-1iJOOk4nqW9GezCTihWU470MZpE/s1600/L119_eyepatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUznuwY2kpaHEET92NrYu6pGzTUXEGSMNKp1huou2A588KM_W3MXce9HvINA_5Ms2wZXOih9UemgQyGZD9v2n9oMHuSSiIeaha2EJis7IlVbYhrS-1iJOOk4nqW9GezCTihWU470MZpE/s1600/L119_eyepatch.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: small;"><i>Eyepatches are important too!</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: small;"><i>Orca eyepatches are also an important marking</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: small;"><i>used for identification. Eyepatches, the white</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: small;"><i>patch above the eye, are unique to individuals just like</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: small;"><i>saddle patches. Sometimes we can’t get a good look at</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: small;"><i>the saddle patch, say when a whale spyhops, but we</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: small;"><i>can use the eyepatch instead to identify the individual.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: small;"><i>This eyepatch photo is of the newest calf in L pod L119.</i></span></div>
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In future
editions of these Whale Pages, we will provide additional information about our
famous Orca whales.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Ken Balcomb</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Director</i></div>
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<i>Center for Whale Research</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Don't forget! Membership Helps! </span> </b></div>
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<b>To become a member of the Center for Whale Research and learn more about our local killer whale populations go to our website: <a href="http://www.whaleresearch.com/">www.whaleresearch.com</a></b></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-76630150140396486132012-09-19T11:34:00.003-07:002013-05-11T06:30:09.855-07:00New Paper out in Science<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Dr. Emma Foster has provided a brief summery of her paper that recently came out in Science:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span">"Adaptive Prolonged Postreproductive Life Span in Killer Whales"</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The key finding:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> We have discovered that female killer whales have the longest menopause of any non-human species so they can care for their adult sons. Our research shows that, for a male over 30, the death of his mother means an almost 14-fold-increase in the likelihood of his death within the following year.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The relevance/link to humans:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Biologically-speaking, the menopause is a bizarre concept! Very few species have a prolonged period of their lifespan when they no longer reproduce. Like humans, female killer whales buck this trend and stop reproducing in their 30s-40s, but can survive into their 90s. The benefit of a menopause to both human and killer whale mothers is in spreading their genes. The different ways this has evolved reflects the different structure of human and killer whale societies. While it is believed that the menopause evolved in humans partly to allow women to focus on providing support for their grandchildren, our research shows that female killer whales act as lifelong carers for their own offspring, particularly their adult sons.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Why this is important:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The menopause remains one of nature’s great mysteries. This research, which involved studying 36 years-worth of data, is the first ever study of its kind and is an exciting breakthrough in our understanding of the evolution of the menopause.</span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-20866578574684220792012-09-19T11:34:00.001-07:002012-09-19T11:34:08.110-07:00J49 is a boy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZSspMQJZqneF-xKUisoSY0IxiW4FgyKYemQOoruTZEMQjkdQIJTzk_X3Hb95smoHcXke7javWwq-dW9y_oXI5gIluOhoDwURHo0auq9wuvNxA2E3wtDK6iVlw5g6LE8E0nZoIMSgwYI/s1600/091712_020_J49_BartRulon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZSspMQJZqneF-xKUisoSY0IxiW4FgyKYemQOoruTZEMQjkdQIJTzk_X3Hb95smoHcXke7javWwq-dW9y_oXI5gIluOhoDwURHo0auq9wuvNxA2E3wtDK6iVlw5g6LE8E0nZoIMSgwYI/s400/091712_020_J49_BartRulon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>September 17, 2012</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Bart Rulon of Island Adventures, sent us these photos yesterday of J49 rolling over reveling his sex as a boy!<br />
J49 in the youngest member of J pod, first seen on August 6th. Both him and mom, J37 appear to be healthy and doing well!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-38365330622296713632012-08-07T11:52:00.002-07:002012-08-07T14:19:05.721-07:00New calf in J pod: J49!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhashd3lxvIgiwj4lugMjveHO-JWnmwkYHwHH_Gus12YUAFnsqbk_Cl-jjHu5ZpzKtgTr6pSC6w6ymDxZ0sYaIpKe1GHGt4UtuJEirZEo1GZXao5J3t3nHFisGjWrZPz95mFotWAZ19Wss/s1600/43_+J49+and+J37_20120806DKE_SJ1-173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhashd3lxvIgiwj4lugMjveHO-JWnmwkYHwHH_Gus12YUAFnsqbk_Cl-jjHu5ZpzKtgTr6pSC6w6ymDxZ0sYaIpKe1GHGt4UtuJEirZEo1GZXao5J3t3nHFisGjWrZPz95mFotWAZ19Wss/s400/43_+J49+and+J37_20120806DKE_SJ1-173.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhashd3lxvIgiwj4lugMjveHO-JWnmwkYHwHH_Gus12YUAFnsqbk_Cl-jjHu5ZpzKtgTr6pSC6w6ymDxZ0sYaIpKe1GHGt4UtuJEirZEo1GZXao5J3t3nHFisGjWrZPz95mFotWAZ19Wss/s1600/43_+J49+and+J37_20120806DKE_SJ1-173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"> </span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>August 6: </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>New Calf in J pod- </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>J37 has her first calf!</b></span></div>
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Following a nearly two week hiatus in sightings, J pod
returned today with what is now a typical “spread out” pattern all along the
west side of San Juan Island, heading north. A lone female whale “Spyhopped” in
front of CWR at 11:35 am; and, she was subsequently identified as J37 from
photographs of her at 11:44am about ¼ mile offshore when she still appeared to
be alone (no obvious calf present).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We headed out in “Shachi” to update our photo-identification of young
whales, and next observed J37 at 2:35pm in Haro Strait off Spieden Channel (48
39’ 42.7”, 123 13’ 50.6”) with a very new born calf!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The calf’s dorsal fin was flopped over to the left and there
were very visible creases in the blubber of its side due to fetal folding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The head and neck region was lumpy
looking, like that of a very newborn human baby, and the calf surfaced with
exaggerated head lunges, indicating it had healthy energy and was breathing
properly - no maternal lifting required.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We followed J37 and her calf at a distance until 3:52pm when they were
in Boundary Pass north of Stuart Island; and, all of this time she was not
accompanied by any other whales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At that time, part of J pod was ahead of the pair by approximately 2
miles and the other part of J pod was off Lime Kiln Park, having split off from
the leaders and gone back south along San Juan Island. By the time the new
mother and her calf were nearing Blunden Island, British Columbia, they reportedly
joined in the rather loose northern formation of J pod whales still heading northeasterly
toward Georgia Strait, and it was reported that the other whales were “supporting”
the calf on their backs. Perhaps this support behavior was some kind of
greeting ritual for the new baby addition to the population. On previous
occasions, we have seen very new calves being supported by and pushed around by
other whales in the community, perhaps in some sort of “new whale baby”
welcoming and bonding ritual. The immediate family of the new calf – mum,
grandma, aunt and uncle – reportedly broke off from the other whales before entering
Georgia Strait and heading toward Sucia Island, Rosario Strait by nightfall. </div>
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A bit of History about the mum: The first catalogue quality photograph
we have of J37 as a baby was in August 2001, at which time she appeared to be
five or six months old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, the
first photograph we have of J37 with a baby was today, August 6, 2012, so we
can assume that the new mother is 11 ½ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>years old - the youngest confirmed mother that we are aware
of in the Southern Resident Community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With a gestation of approximately 17 months she must have been
impregnated during or around January 2011 when she was about 10 years old!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had four encounters with J pod in
January 2011 and all were with both J and K pods combined and L87. Hence, the
father must have been among them at that time. Maybe this is why L87 is hanging
around J pod so much!</div>
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A little bit about the family: The grandmother of the new
calf, J14, is thirty eight years old and is the very productive mother of three
living offspring and three that have not made it to the present time. Her first
calf, J23 born in 1987, was a male that survived for four years. Her second
calf, J30 born in 1995, was a male that survived until December 2011, but went
curiously missing all of this year and is presumed dead. J37 is J14’s third
calf born in 2001, and J40 (a female) is her fourth calf born in 2004. J14 had
a neonate calf (J43) that was seen on one day, 24 November 2007, but it did not
survive. Most recently, in March 2009, J14 had another calf, J45 a male, that
survives to the present. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The new
calf of J37 will be designated J49, and it is born into a very productive
matriline so we are hoping it fares well. With this birth, the Southern Resident
Killer Whale Population (SRKW in government jargon) now numbers 86, though that
number could change at any time with births and deaths. </div>
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Please be respectful of the new baby and its family and keep
more than a two hundred yard distance away when viewing from a maneuverable
vessel. The professional whale watching operators will no doubt be extra
cautious on the whales’ behalf.<br />
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For the media- here is a link to a few full sized photographs of the calf and mom. These photos are for media publications only, not for personal use. Please credit the Center for Whale Research: <a href="http://www.whaleresearch.com/photorequest_calves.html" target="_blank">J49</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #0b5394; font-weight: bold; line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Killer Whales in the Wild Versus in Captivity - </span></span></div>
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<span class="summary"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Meet the experts and participate in the discussion.</span></span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Saturday July 21st, 2012</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Friday Harbor, Wa</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black;">For the second time in just over one year a diverse collection of killer whale (orca) experts & former trainers will congregate and share information regarding orca populations, including wild and captive animals. Superpod (SP) events are held during July in conjunction with the Southern Resident orcas which are swimming around San Juan Island chasing Chinook salmon. The combination of J, K, and L pods together is called a "superpod."</span></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Superpod II is a face-to-face gathering of 3-4 dozen experts/enthusiasts in an all day event that will include presentations, movies, a book signing by author David Kirby of the soon to be released "Death at SeaWorld", and a benefit showing of the documentary film "The Whale".</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These free public events will be held on Saturday, July 21st 2012 at Friday Harbor House in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Wa. </span></strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Drinks will be available for purchase. Some events have a separate sign-up (please see below).</span><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Among the scientists who will be in attendance are <a href="http://www.whaleresearch.com/about.html" style="color: #106bbc; text-decoration: none;">Ken Balcomb, </a>director of the Center for Whale Research, <a href="http://www.orcaresearch.org/" style="color: #106bbc; text-decoration: none;">Dr Ingrid Visser, </a>lead scientist and founder of the Orca Research Trust<a href="http://www.orcaresearch.org/" style="color: #106bbc; text-decoration: none;">,</a> in New Zealand, and<a href="http://www.humanesociety.org/about/leadership/subject_experts/naomi_rose.html" style="color: #106bbc; text-decoration: none;">Dr. Naomi Rose</a>, senior scientist for Human Society International (HSI). Naomi oversees HSI campaigns to protect wild and captive marine mammals and is a member of the International Whaling Commission’s Scientific Committee. Dr. Rose is also the lead protagonist in David Kirby's much anticipated scientific thriller called <em><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/voiceoftheorcas/david-kirby-s-book" style="color: #106bbc; text-decoration: none;">Death at SeaWorld</a></em><em>.</em><strong><em></em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong><em>Tentative schedule for public events Saturday, July 21st:</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong><em></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">10:00 a.m.</span></span> Attorney Steve Wise speak about <a href="http://www.nonhumanrightsproject.org/" style="color: #106bbc; text-decoration: none;">the Nonhuman Rights Project</a>.</strong> The "NHRP" is devoted to gaining rights for animals who have no voice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong></strong><em>"The Nonhuman Rights Project argues that some nonhuman animals should have the capacity to possess common law rights. What is the common law and why do we take that approach as opposed to using federal laws, which only provide for minimal protection of certain animals? ".</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Noon to 2:30 p.m. </span></span></strong></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;"><strong>Brown bag lunch and films</strong>,<strong> presented by Cara Sands of Friends of the Dolphins.</strong> Two films are scheduled which show the capture process of wild dolphins and whales, and which explore the consequences of captivity; <strong>"The Cove</strong>" and "<strong>A Fall From Freedom"</strong>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;"><span style="background-color: #ccffff;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">3 p.m.</span></span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;"> </span></span> <strong>Young activist Ella Van Cleave</strong>, who recently gave a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FKbUp65XrI&feature=player_embedded" style="color: #106bbc; text-decoration: none;">presentation</a> at the esteemed "Ted Talks," will speak on the powerful youth movement<strong>.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">3:30 p.m.</span></span></strong> <strong>Legal counsol to PETA</strong>, Jeff Kerr, will speak on recent legal challenges<strong>.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;"><strong>*****</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">5:00 p.m. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;"> </span>Book signing of "Death at SeaWorld" by author David Kirby, </strong>plus panel discussion with Humane Society International marine mammal expert Dr. Naomi Rose and 3 former SeaWorld orca trainers; Carol Ray, Jeffrey Ventre & Samantha Berg. <strong><em>(Please sign up for this event <a href="http://dasw.eventbrite.com/" style="color: #106bbc; text-decoration: none;">here</a>)</em></strong>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">We hope to have at least one live "call in" Twitter event during David Kirby's book signing. Our understanding is that two documentary film crews will be on island capturing parts of Superpod II. So look for at least one film in 2013...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">*****</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #3d85c6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">7:30 p.m.</span></span> </span>A benefit showing of "The Whale"</strong> for the Center for Whale Research. Filmmakers Suzanne Chisholm and Michael Parfit will present their heartwarming film, and signed posters will be available for purchase. A</span><span class="vevent"><span class="description">ll donations and proceeds from sales at the film showing go exclusively to support the Center for Whale Research in their continued efforts to save the endangered population of Southern Resident orcas.</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;"> <em><strong>(Please sign up for this event <a href="http://centerforwhaleresearch.eventbrite.com/" style="color: #106bbc; text-decoration: none;">here</a>).</strong></em></span></div>
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<img alt="The Whale, a family film about a friendly whale" height="333" src="https://evbdn.eventbrite.com/s3-s3/eventlogos/35365088/thewhalemovie.jpg" width="265" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-1507590845551350532012-07-10T16:39:00.001-07:002012-07-10T16:39:39.840-07:00Benefit Event for the Center for Whale Research<div style="text-align: left; width: 100%;">
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="1000" hspace="0" marginheight="5" marginwidth="5" scrolling="auto" src="http://centerforwhaleresearch.eventbrite.com?ref=eweb" vspace="0" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/r/eweb" style="color: #dddddd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sell Tickets Online</a> <span style="color: #dddddd;">through</span> <a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/?ref=eweb" style="color: #dddddd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Eventbrite</a></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-25876259736587541032012-05-30T13:00:00.001-07:002012-05-30T13:00:34.272-07:00New Calf in L pod! L119<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgNasOWc2BTkIFAYsCbKiEc9PBTtAiUdqmfQGfzjBMfyjz_ZhmeSJZlgJgUgnL59k0rgueTuERB6Kz11l3BSDTyBsbDEwWiM6LHUyVt1zijZc8dpcX30UdwIPe8phB9PqGpLESrs0Qqg/s1600/L119_20120529DKE_JF1-0829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgNasOWc2BTkIFAYsCbKiEc9PBTtAiUdqmfQGfzjBMfyjz_ZhmeSJZlgJgUgnL59k0rgueTuERB6Kz11l3BSDTyBsbDEwWiM6LHUyVt1zijZc8dpcX30UdwIPe8phB9PqGpLESrs0Qqg/s320/L119_20120529DKE_JF1-0829.jpg" width="320" /></a>We encountered J,K,and L pods coming in together from the Pacific Ocean to the Salish Sea yesterday for the first time this year. J and K pods have come in to these</div>
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interior waters several times earlier this spring; but, this is the first time that all of surviving members of L pod have been encountered in interior waters in 2012. All three pods were moving slowly toward San Juan Island with a new calf in tow. One of the adult females in L pod, twenty-five year old L77, has a new calf, designated as L119, who looks to be only a few weeks old. The sex is not yet known. The new calf appeared healthy and vigorous, and we are hopeful that this one will make it. Her previous calf in 2010 was only seen for one day, and it is not known whether she has had other calves that did not survive to be documented. We will be providing more updates on the new calf as well as our superpod encounter in the next few days.</div>
</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-49095475541862974292012-05-15T11:42:00.000-07:002012-05-15T11:42:33.044-07:00Article on Ken Balcomb and the investigation of L112's DeathClick the link to read a KUOW article on Ken:<br />
<a href="http://earthfix.opb.org/flora-and-fauna/article/the-man-and-the-orcas/" target="_blank">http://earthfix.opb.org/flora-and-fauna/article/the-man-and-the-orcas/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-65657753000546998632012-05-08T17:13:00.004-07:002012-05-09T11:46:16.174-07:00SRKW's off Westport WA, April 29th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkoxbAMJT9fY9AWQSosn5WpHXVqc_Z__rXeqy4xQ8bGuXAddVNUqUPegnx-prU5PhgluhS_Ke8jSiIC72byYyDmnKyxI9FTheFfPmExwF4sPgTk2LNFzFgOJkNw_SVkC-zCOuAQyQ7us/s1600/L105_20120429-D22-0114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkoxbAMJT9fY9AWQSosn5WpHXVqc_Z__rXeqy4xQ8bGuXAddVNUqUPegnx-prU5PhgluhS_Ke8jSiIC72byYyDmnKyxI9FTheFfPmExwF4sPgTk2LNFzFgOJkNw_SVkC-zCOuAQyQ7us/s320/L105_20120429-D22-0114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">While on a survey out of Westport, Washington, </span></span></span><a href="http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Cascadia Research Collective</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"> encountered a southern resident killer whales including individuals from both K and L pods. From the photos sent to the Center for Whale Research, we were able to ID 36 whales. This is not a complete census. Cascadia was able to photograpg many, but not all of the whales present. Here's a list of the whales we were able to ID from the photos: </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">K12, K13, K14, K20, K25, K26, K27, K34, K36, K37, K38, K42, K43, K44, L5, L25, L27, L41, L53, L55, L72, L79, L82, L84, L85, L86, L89, L91, L94, L103, L105, L106, L109, L113, L116, and L118.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Photograph of L105 by Greg Shore.</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-65401127824078046212012-05-08T16:20:00.001-07:002012-05-08T16:21:14.469-07:00Recent update on killer whales from NOAA Fisheries<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Below is some recent information on killer whales from NOAA Fisheries Northwest Region </span><br />
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<strong>Did you know?</strong>A recent review of photos by DFO scientists have confirmed that Southern Resident killer whales were sighted in Chatham Strait, Southeast Alaska, back in June 2007. Southern Residents were previously thought to range as far north as the Queen Charlotte Islands, B. C. This sighting extends their known range about 200 miles to the north.</div>
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<strong>L112 stranding investigation progress report</strong>The investigation into the death of Southern Resident killer whale L112 continues. We posted a progress report on our website at <a href="http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Marine-Mammals/Whales-Dolphins-Porpoise/Killer-Whales/upload/L112-Prgrs-Rpt.pdf">http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Marine-Mammals/Whales-Dolphins-Porpoise/Killer-Whales/upload/L112-Prgrs-Rpt.pdf</a>. We’ll continue to provide updates as we get the results from outstanding analyses and generate a final report.</div>
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<strong>Update on satellite tagging project</strong><br />
The Northwest Fisheries Science Center has updated website information on the three-day deployment of a tag on J26: <a href="http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/cbd/marine_mammal/satellite_tagging.cfm">http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/cbd/marine_mammal/satellite_tagging.cfm</a>.</div>
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<strong>Canadian marine mammal regulations</strong>As the federal department responsible for the protection of marine mammals, their habitats, and their migration routes in Canadian waters, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has finalized a set of proposed amendments to the Marine Mammal Regulations (MMR) of the Fisheries Act. The amendments are designed to provide enhanced protection for marine mammals against human disturbances.</div>
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The proposed regulatory amendments were published on March 24, 2012, in the Canada Gazette, Part I. The Canada Gazette is the official newspaper of the Government of Canada. See it online at: <a href="http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2012/2012-03-24/html/reg2-eng.html">http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2012/2012-03-24/html/reg2-eng.html</a>. The public has 60 days from the publication date to provide comments on the proposed amendments.</div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-89218528583994608912012-02-14T09:20:00.000-08:002012-02-14T09:31:55.343-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lIxLni0CBKkFjB_COpXesMM1BL1p9DsHltg1j0QWUmVrnIvTNNvwIgFLKgI1juJns_ayTwWzb_aAU-HHwnOAaUwGvwlwuOi1khax7VCOgad6q14Bigt-Bv8b1HwtzQSAR1rnYMnG6Kg/s1600/1+L112+20110911KCB_SJ2-211.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lIxLni0CBKkFjB_COpXesMM1BL1p9DsHltg1j0QWUmVrnIvTNNvwIgFLKgI1juJns_ayTwWzb_aAU-HHwnOAaUwGvwlwuOi1khax7VCOgad6q14Bigt-Bv8b1HwtzQSAR1rnYMnG6Kg/s320/1+L112+20110911KCB_SJ2-211.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709043294960975170" /></a><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">L112 washes up in Long Beach, WA</span></b></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">- The following is copied from an email message from NOAA:</span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">"On Feb. 11, 2012, a stranded killer whale washed up just north of Long Beach, Wash. Photographs of the dorsal fin and saddle patch were matched to catalogs of known killer whales by biologists from NOAA Fisheries and the Center for Whale Research. </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">The whale has been identified as a member of the Southern Resident L Pod known as L112, a female calf of L86. A full necropsy was conducted on Feb. 12.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"> </div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Samples were taken for a variety of analyses. Processing of samples could take several weeks or months, and will hopefully provide insight into the origin of the traumatic injuries or other factors that may have contributed to the death of this whale. More information is available on the Cascadia Research website at:</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/examination_of_dead_killer_whale-12Feb2012.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/examination_of_dead_killer_whale-12Feb2012.htm</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div face="Helvetica" size="medium" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">"</span></span></div><div face="Helvetica" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; "> </div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-23789624620765480282011-09-26T15:06:00.000-07:002011-09-26T15:13:12.556-07:00L90 Update: September 11, 2011<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whaleresearch.com/images/2011_encounters/69_20110911DKE_SJ1-075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.whaleresearch.com/images/2011_encounters/69_20110911DKE_SJ1-075.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">L90 in Haro Strait, September 11- Photo by Dave Ellifrit</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">L90:</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">We have been </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">episodically monitoring L90 - taking respiration rates, surfacing/ </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">dive intervals/traveling speed, and videotaping </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">, as well as taking good-quality close-up photos of her </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">melon, etc. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">She continues to consistently trail the other whales and is </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">breathing at frequent intervals ranging from 20 sec-120 sec, with </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">most in 30 second range. Her dives are typically shallow (often </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">visible underwater at about 60'), and when observed the in calm </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">water near East Point on September 20th, she was making brief </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">vocalizations between breaths. At the time, she was lagging behind the </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">other whales by about one and a half miles. Her surfacing posture </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">is unusual - when logging she "bobs" for each breath, and when </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">traveling she surfaces horizontally and then dives rather </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">"stiffly", as if there is a problem with her spine. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">She has been d</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">oing this since July 6, before the alleged vessel strike. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">We </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">recently noted her surfacing about 100 feet behind a yacht wake </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">and she appeared to be thrown off balance from the wake. She was also observed </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">rolling on her side going through kelp. She does not show evidence any </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">emaciation. The most notable aspect of all of this, and it is also </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">notable for other ailing/trailing whales we have monitored in the </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">past: there is little to no obvious care-giving behavior exhibited </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">by the other whales. Presumably she is eating, otherwise she would </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">show evidence of emaciation. </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">We all have </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">concerns for the fate of this whale, but there is very little that </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">anyone can do but observe. This has happened before, and it will </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">happen again.</span></span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-53379701866831277122011-09-09T15:57:00.000-07:002011-09-09T15:59:51.361-07:00Audio slide show with Ken Balcomb:<br />
<h1 class="post-title" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://science.kqed.org/quest/slideshow/two-endangered-icons-southern-resident-killer-whales-and-chinook-salmon/" rel="bookmark" style="color: #ec5926; cursor: pointer; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Permanent Link to Two Endangered Icons: Southern Resident Killer Whales and Chinook Salmon">Two Endangered Icons: Southern Resident Killer Whales and Chinook Salmon</a></h1>
<div class="postinfo" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; height: 40px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px;">
<img alt="Jennifer Morton" class="photo" height="42" src="http://science.kqed.org/quest/files/userphoto/260.thumbnail.jpg" style="float: left; height: 42px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 630px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: text-top; width: 42px;" width="42" /><em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Slideshow </em>on Aug 24, 2011 by <a href="http://science.kqed.org/quest/author/jennifermorton/" style="color: #ec5926; cursor: pointer; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Posts by Jennifer Morton">Jennifer Morton</a> from <a href="http://science.kqed.org/quest/stations/northwest/" rel="tag" style="color: #ec5926; cursor: pointer; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">QUEST Northwest</a></div>
<div class="postinfo" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; height: 40px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px;">
Click Here to view the slide Sshow featuring Ken talking about the important connection between local killer whales and salmon:<br />
<a href="http://science.kqed.org/quest/slideshow/two-endangered-icons-southern-resident-killer-whales-and-chinook-salmon">Slide Show with Ken Balcomb</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-41663898539338611602011-09-07T16:03:00.000-07:002011-09-07T16:03:13.627-07:00L90 Update<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9N_E_EwKeJInARiVVkZLRen-06xlQhj2OdOP7LJGPzdQkcSu2fAg3U38HLfaMZd27iv_vppZoGNhhEAJfnK2Pv1OsADSbAQUbqtsG5k60_0BaFEsNKV8j76cntRDdIg_S9sC1PUwOx7g/s1600/64_L90_20110903DKE_SJ1-280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9N_E_EwKeJInARiVVkZLRen-06xlQhj2OdOP7LJGPzdQkcSu2fAg3U38HLfaMZd27iv_vppZoGNhhEAJfnK2Pv1OsADSbAQUbqtsG5k60_0BaFEsNKV8j76cntRDdIg_S9sC1PUwOx7g/s320/64_L90_20110903DKE_SJ1-280.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L90 in Haro Strait on September 3rd, Photo by Dave Ellifrit</td></tr>
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After the alleged vessel strike last week and the recent unusual behavior displayed by female killer whale, L90, the Center for Whale Research staff had an an opportunity to further observe her condition on Saturday September 3rd. This was the first time she had been seen since the incident. The following is a summery of that encounter:<br />
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<br />
"After receiving a report of whales on the west side of San Juan Island in the early morning, Center staff cast off from Snug Harbor in vessel Orca at 8:15 a.m. and found members of J,K, and L pods heading north in Haro Strait off Limekiln lighthouse at 8:25 a.m., spread out in singles and groups. The main mission of the day was to find L90 and monitor her health and behavior, so we moved from group to group trying to locate her.<br />
Around 9:15 a.m., we found L90’s main traveling companions, L26 and L92, in the proximity of J pod members near Kelp Reef, moving rapidly north in Haro Strait. About a half-mile to the southeast of this group at 9:33 a.m., we found L90 traveling north by herself at slow to medium speed. She was trailing the other whales by as much as 3/4 mile and never less than 200 yards. We collected respiration data on L90 for two periods from 9:40-10:46 a.m. and 1243-1342 a.m., during which times she was breathing regularly at intervals averaging 33.6 seconds and 29.9 seconds, respectively. Meanwhile, the rest of the whales traveled north in Haro Strait, and then northeast into Boundary Pass. During these two data recording periods, L90 only made one “long” dive of 180 seconds which was immediately followed by her shortest recorded dive of 8 seconds. Her swimming speed was 4.4 and 4.6 knots, respectively, during the data recording periods.<br />
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When sea conditions and proximity allowed proper observations, it was apparent that L90 was not diving deeply and her surfacing motion seemed stiff – often with more of her back behind the dorsal fin exposed than a healthy whale would have exposed on a normal surfacing. However, she showed no visible signs of emaciation and did not have foul smelling breath, two common indicators of illness. Based on our observations it is clear that her behavior is abnormal, however the cause remains unknown.<br />
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Around 2:15 p.m., as the leading whales picked up speed near East Point, L90 also increased speed and caught up to the other whales just north of East Point. She joined with L26 and L92, and the three traveled rapidly (>7 knots) NNW toward Point Roberts amidst other loosely spread, rapidly moving, mixed groups of southern residents. We ended the encounter at 2:51 p.m. approximately 3 miles north of East Point."<br />
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L90 was again encountered the following day, September 4th, and appeared to exhibit the same behavior. We will be taking every opportunity to continue to observe L90's condition and will provide subsequent reports.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-76691642013620001942011-08-26T17:51:00.000-07:002011-08-26T18:28:03.262-07:00L90's Alleged Vessel Strike<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNk1pn8jYd8Ne7AmbOSkMvBy48SBMdNdJ6NJCaGuWXOOSjYe1KPJguVAQZa2mKD3zxbE3LeLpGnf9HElo-46t2_gbvRbGWC-7MMxaNQQpi2BjQ9wjzJ1rcKmbl7aopjQTLkpB7p6wxr0/s1600/20110826EEH_SJ1-270.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNk1pn8jYd8Ne7AmbOSkMvBy48SBMdNdJ6NJCaGuWXOOSjYe1KPJguVAQZa2mKD3zxbE3LeLpGnf9HElo-46t2_gbvRbGWC-7MMxaNQQpi2BjQ9wjzJ1rcKmbl7aopjQTLkpB7p6wxr0/s320/20110826EEH_SJ1-270.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645324254683836402" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The Center for Whale Research received a report this morning of a potential vessel strike with a southern resident killer whale. The whale that was believed to be struck is L90, an 18 year old female. Witnesses described the whale logging, or floating at the surface, for a prolonged period after a private vessel was observed passing very close to where the whale was thought to be. L90 was then reported to remain on the surface and was breathing heavily. Once we received the report we quickly departed and found L90 with her mother, L26 just off Lime Kiln State Park. She was moving slowly and spending several minutes resting at the surface. She was taking shallow dives and barely moving north with the rest of the whales. We were able to observe her very closely and found no evidence of a vessel strike. On numerous occasions she spent several minutes hovering just below the surface of the water allowing us to get a good look at most of her body, and we did not see any wounds or scratches. We continued to follow her for a few hours and observed that she eventually began to travel at a more normal pace, although remaining behind the rest of the groups of whales. The other whales in the area were behaving normally, resting, foraging and socializing. Based on our observations and descriptions of the event from witnesses, we do not believe that L90 was struck by the vessel. Based on her age and previous behavior we have concluded that she may be pregnant. It is also possible that she may be ill or have some unknown condition.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">On</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> several encounters this summer, we have noticed L90 traveling slowly by herself in a rather “mopey” manner. L90 has always been a “whale of concern” to those of us that see her frequently. She is a noticeably a small animal compared to other females who have reached reproductive age. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Additionally, there seems to be something unusual about L90’s body condition. Her body shape is different from every other whale in the L26 matriline. She appears to have a kind of a two-lobed swelling behind the blowhole and a slight arch to her spine in front of the dorsal fin. Whether this swelling is just excess blubber or a sign of illness, we do not know. The only other whale who has been seen with a similar looking swelling behind the blowhole was L107, a calf born in 2005 who did not survive its first summer. It is certainly a different look from the emaciated “peanuthead” look that we have previously seen in several whales who subsequently died.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The slow moving and logging behavior she exhibited today and yesterday may be a sign of that she is in labor and therefore very tierd. She is a whale that we would expect to have a calf at any time since she has passed the age when most females have had their first calf </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; ">( about age 14). Although we have no concrete information to support this, we do have concerns that her small body size may make for a complicated pregnancy and birth. Labor pains or a difficult pregnancy could explain her behavior. </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The other possibility, that she is ill, is supported by previous observations in other animals. In the summer of 2008 L67(deceased) was observed floating for prolonged periods at the surface before she showed any signs of the emaciated condition that proceeded her death. Therefore L90 could also be showing signs of distress due to an unknown illness.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">With respect to today's event, we suspect she may have been laying on or near the surface already when the vessel passed close by, but most likely missed her. It is very difficult to determine distances between vessels or between whales and vessels from the water level. Therefore she may have appeared closer to the vessel than she was.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">In any case, we will continue to observe L90 over the next few days. Our hope is that the next time we see her she is traveling with a healthy new born calf.</span></span></p>
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-77102253755427903862011-02-22T10:44:00.000-08:002011-02-22T10:44:05.396-08:00Southern Resident Orca Population Status (With Notes On J-1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FoSWNxFMh9xXYHMu-0XbKeYM7_ix2z6YFrm3TLyEDI_FCWDKA-CosAXWrl4mdWFB7UEjOQ5lHSmurzodrdvPuGlsZFrAJMab1bAbagkS9gAFJvxsJZer277FkMFmYZ1vc6x6db1Q3Mg1/s1600/Enc_042_20070727EAF_DG1-013.jpg+photo+by+Emma+Foster+J1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FoSWNxFMh9xXYHMu-0XbKeYM7_ix2z6YFrm3TLyEDI_FCWDKA-CosAXWrl4mdWFB7UEjOQ5lHSmurzodrdvPuGlsZFrAJMab1bAbagkS9gAFJvxsJZer277FkMFmYZ1vc6x6db1Q3Mg1/s1600/Enc_042_20070727EAF_DG1-013.jpg+photo+by+Emma+Foster+J1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlnL2iBwfSrfDF3dJFBBHAOm317KaHbuIu8Gc5fUlQq-ioRz2nzTy6gbIoQXoqrJbOzkI7gVmgId14Kgv3rYoLqZlM0RlvLKaykPBhFgWz90lGU-PyMCxhADjVib8q4mgFrfDb4Z1r8VP/s1600/Enc_2008_033_20080810DKE_DG1-029.jpg+l41+traveling+north+through+Haro+Strait%252C+August+10%252C+2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b>2010 ended well for the Southern Residents</b>. The total population as of December 31<sup>st</sup> was 87 individuals: 27 in J pod, 19 in K pod and 41 in L pod. By the end of the year, 5 of the 6 calves born in 2010 were alive and healthy. We had one edition to J pod, J47 (calf of J17); one edition to K pod, K43 (calf of K12); and 3 in L pod, L115 (calf of L47), L116 (calf of L86), and L117 (mother unknown).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So far 2011 has been full of sightings and encounters. J’s, K’s and L87 have been seen often in Haro Strait and Puget Sound. They were first encountered by the Center on January 3<sup>rd</sup> in Haro Strait, then again on the 7<sup>th</sup>. J’s and K’s were also encountered in Haro Strait and San Juan Channel on the 23<sup>rd</sup> and 26<sup>th </sup>respectively. Residents were sighted at least once a week throughout January (eight confirmed sightings in all). February has been even better with almost daily sightings of J’s and K’s in Puget Sound (eight sightings since Feb. 20<sup>th</sup>)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There was a possible sighting of L pod on January 15<sup>th</sup>. Most likely the L12’s, but because of the distant photos we can’t say for sure. Ken encountered L pod spread out and foraging off Monterey Bay on February 10<sup>th</sup>. There have been several killer whale sightings on the west coast of Oregon and California this winter, but no other southern resident sightings have been confirmed. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>No new calves have yet been seen in 2011</b>. It is still too early in the year to have an official population estimate as not all individuals have been accounted for. However, there have been several encounters and sightings of J pod where J1 has not been seen or photographed. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b> J1 is the oldest male in the southern resident community, estimated to be 60 years old. He is an iconic figure for the entire population and by far the most easily identifiable whale. His tall wavy fin has given him the name “Ruffles” and made him a favorite among visitors and local whale enthusiasts. He was last seen on November 21<sup>st</sup> off Victoria. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Although there have been several encounters with J’s over the past few months, the pod configuration has been spread out and all individuals were not photographed. Although J1 is most often seen in the presence of J2, the eldest female in J pod, he is frequently sighted off on his own far away from the rest of the pod. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<b></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b> At this point all we can say is that J1 is officially missing. We will be keeping an eye out for him as we head into spring and encounters and sightings increase. </b><br />
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<b>Posted by Erin Heydenreich</b></div>Candace Calloway Whitinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977971893977757785noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-78959611881594711702010-08-22T17:55:00.000-07:002010-08-23T08:47:21.174-07:00Baby Killer Whales, Their ID Numbers, Their Names, And Their Parentage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcLKcX-aj4WbsOa-ccszEXeP6xXRN_ToHCvaIr8eik1R9Jl1BvMhwv4iLRzs40iltEGonIREuJiOG1DdStsP9MyGcsSvjMd36t6S-xtVBSdksuOz602D_9NuI8IwzeolU0umgPSDalaI2/s1600/1+Cute+20100627KCB_SJ1-326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcLKcX-aj4WbsOa-ccszEXeP6xXRN_ToHCvaIr8eik1R9Jl1BvMhwv4iLRzs40iltEGonIREuJiOG1DdStsP9MyGcsSvjMd36t6S-xtVBSdksuOz602D_9NuI8IwzeolU0umgPSDalaI2/s640/1+Cute+20100627KCB_SJ1-326.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQgbO0lxdG5k6zpbA_zvYYMT9GV5_d8Ch4PoPCupH6lt2Fn_u8swF4AHWM5SWJQd9KdVKo_BWKZpHcHDckSEVsnoSWo7LgnJT42oZmVPcshCoWkrcNpdHqPwu5jCzq_7sLyyDM3qYNqV9B/s1600/KenBalcomb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQgbO0lxdG5k6zpbA_zvYYMT9GV5_d8Ch4PoPCupH6lt2Fn_u8swF4AHWM5SWJQd9KdVKo_BWKZpHcHDckSEVsnoSWo7LgnJT42oZmVPcshCoWkrcNpdHqPwu5jCzq_7sLyyDM3qYNqV9B/s320/KenBalcomb.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ken Balcomb, CWR founder.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">By K.C. Balcomb<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>22 August 2010<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"> The Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) population underwent a genetic bottleneck sometime between one and two-and-a-half whale generations ago that has resulted in a very small and fragile effective population size –<b><u> only about 25 whales currently parent any offspring, while the remaining 60 or so whales are either too old or too young to contribute to population growth. That fact alone makes every baby whale precious, or at least it should be precious, to everyone on this planet that cares about the survival of these charismatic icons of the Pacific Northwest. Being born is one thing, surviving in the modern world is another</u></b>. </div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"> My goal is to encourage our human society to make it possible for the effective population size of SRKW’s to grow during the current generation, and for the foreseeable future. Too often, for too long, and too recently we have seen it decline. In order to see increase we must give priority to allowing the whales sufficient food = salmon to survive, year-round, and that amounts to a lot of fish.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> At the risk of designating a baby whale an ID number or a name when there is a good chance that it will not survive, and thereby perhaps offending some and wasting numbers, I am going to exercise my prerogative and name a few:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e8U5q566tRqe5oDZA4MYrxRJ4BBv2JcDXlDHlPaZPihfS4LDB-1QEhs0Z6NNZ3q4s-IauDaufpInFLIp6_V7rZ5qwH25OeRNIEDC1uWBb0idV2Xxa55u8PM_9ga4GScx7ws8lYWQ4xCX/s1600/1+Star+J46+20100718EAF_SJ1-074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e8U5q566tRqe5oDZA4MYrxRJ4BBv2JcDXlDHlPaZPihfS4LDB-1QEhs0Z6NNZ3q4s-IauDaufpInFLIp6_V7rZ5qwH25OeRNIEDC1uWBb0idV2Xxa55u8PM_9ga4GScx7ws8lYWQ4xCX/s400/1+Star+J46+20100718EAF_SJ1-074.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Star</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"> In J pod, there was a new calf born in November 2009 to a sixteen-year old new mother designated J28. I earlier designated the new female calf J46 and called her “Star” for the starring role I hoped she would play in inspiring the public interested in conserving the fish resources needed for the entire SRKW population (and for humans).<o:p></o:p></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPkSiNEn5buaqcmMwQu0uYx-y4K4scsWKZT12mP9de_ABmI0STy5CYimGSJEBM3kMydUCqicDdSAGy9haEqcWo5a112Z7DzFMORGD_rF4Lhw2E1hE5jtRrKUTbjxhZ0KsQ-8JR9g6PNpx/s1600/1+Looker+J47+20100608EAF_DG1_094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPkSiNEn5buaqcmMwQu0uYx-y4K4scsWKZT12mP9de_ABmI0STy5CYimGSJEBM3kMydUCqicDdSAGy9haEqcWo5a112Z7DzFMORGD_rF4Lhw2E1hE5jtRrKUTbjxhZ0KsQ-8JR9g6PNpx/s400/1+Looker+J47+20100608EAF_DG1_094.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looker</td></tr>
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Also born into J pod in January 2010 was another new calf, this time a young male whose very young mother is twelve-year old J35. I designated this new male calf J47, and now call it “Looker” because it frequently (and delightfully) raises its head high above the water as if looking around when swimming alongside its mother.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcjgvPC_PnGUzfdNqjb5-U7Sa__COI5rUFrJJuNjo_B2ijqI2kVvfyqe66b3gnEnu_4avXOlhfs95HwuMtjDgcZjqjCXmcOeWHavbKoiZaVPInBxlJNRUjC0kPrPHvOc7B12x6Hr_c1IY/s1600/1+Racer+K43+20100608DKE_DG4-119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcjgvPC_PnGUzfdNqjb5-U7Sa__COI5rUFrJJuNjo_B2ijqI2kVvfyqe66b3gnEnu_4avXOlhfs95HwuMtjDgcZjqjCXmcOeWHavbKoiZaVPInBxlJNRUjC0kPrPHvOc7B12x6Hr_c1IY/s400/1+Racer+K43+20100608DKE_DG4-119.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Speedy</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> In K pod, there was a new calf first seen in February 2010 with an experienced mother K12, who is also a grandmother. Virtually every time we see and photograph this new rambunctious baby whale it is racing alongside its mother, so I have called it “Speedy” and have designated it K43 - the newest member of slow-growing K pod. <o:p></o:p></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZrJjqD7i-A-KY3pZepa-bFBgt2Bxj0fSmG9wwMxJQH9ZLVHoOXqPrQYNNSY6KbGv3lSg7W_MPPTNKBxFWhnzUCNsD2GzdXgoUFc1IDK759lVjdQw1XiZsxy5fLXLj1CQyIjEz8V1Vo1C/s1600/L115+on+L47+56_20100813KCB_JF2-1074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZrJjqD7i-A-KY3pZepa-bFBgt2Bxj0fSmG9wwMxJQH9ZLVHoOXqPrQYNNSY6KbGv3lSg7W_MPPTNKBxFWhnzUCNsD2GzdXgoUFc1IDK759lVjdQw1XiZsxy5fLXLj1CQyIjEz8V1Vo1C/s400/L115+on+L47+56_20100813KCB_JF2-1074.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hope</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> In L pod, a new calf appeared in the summer of 2010, itself an unusual event because most new SRKW’s are born in winter months. The births typically occur in mid-winter seventeen months after the party times of historically abundant summer salmon migrations to these inland marine waters. </div><div class="MsoNormal"> Conception of this new calf, designated L115, must have occurred around January or February 2009 when all three pods made an unprecedented mid-winter appearance off Victoria (see <a href="http://whaleresearch.com/encounter_pages/2009/3.html">Encounter 3, 2009 CWR webpage</a>). The mother is L47, who has lost her previous four consecutive babies (L99,L102,L107,L111) since giving birth to her two successful daughters (L83 and L91), in 1990 and 1995. Without yet knowing the sex of L115 the newest calf of L47, I am going to call it “Hope”, for obvious reasons. “Toast” was submitted, but it is not very optimistic for a whale name when we hope it survives.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKJQo04ttETMJBsKjNNdpSylJFHSInOGaSuMNqwkv0f8MYbocAhAqHOSvNkcIbrc3bbsAoZr4sSG-EbHSBCmJL9RSlUPuFJ_z5aRnjc_yqPIWD3aTmc6UV4BZah4WsvpvHYYBnwcCmDgu/s1600/1+Molly+L113+20100221KCB_DG4-2117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKJQo04ttETMJBsKjNNdpSylJFHSInOGaSuMNqwkv0f8MYbocAhAqHOSvNkcIbrc3bbsAoZr4sSG-EbHSBCmJL9RSlUPuFJ_z5aRnjc_yqPIWD3aTmc6UV4BZah4WsvpvHYYBnwcCmDgu/s400/1+Molly+L113+20100221KCB_DG4-2117.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"> L113 was born in the autumn of 2009 to fourteen-year old first time mother L94, and she is healthy and doing well as of this writing in late summer 2010. This year has been a relatively good year for salmon in the local waters, so we are wishing all is well for her. I am going to call her “Molly” after a very good friend whose ashes were spread as L113 and her extended family swam nearby in Haro Strait this summer.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaFlg49KOfLLetLE72o1wdrvU10-7NRRwktmCiYx_FFtgJCM26Zlt9cs0RuQmiHjOJ0vkH83jh01eGJ82XZgZ8dj6IRveBlbq6TFNxD7lFpM9lwg8rUDXr-t7QbSe5MkSXPfeYcUHyK82/s1600/1+Victoria+L112+20100627KCB_SJ1-340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaFlg49KOfLLetLE72o1wdrvU10-7NRRwktmCiYx_FFtgJCM26Zlt9cs0RuQmiHjOJ0vkH83jh01eGJ82XZgZ8dj6IRveBlbq6TFNxD7lFpM9lwg8rUDXr-t7QbSe5MkSXPfeYcUHyK82/s400/1+Victoria+L112+20100627KCB_SJ1-340.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victoria</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Two other recent L pod calves are worthy of mention: L112 born to L86, probably in January 2009 and first documented in the afore-mentioned Encounter 3 of 2009 when she was less than a month old; I am going to call her “Victoria” for the beautiful city waterfront where she was first seen. [Hold your nose until the sewage issue is resolved! Maybe we should call her “Stinker”?]</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekxqfdQK_qcBTtWlhPU040yj4Xup7qh1VE_esuWgZYRsmAz88xa8JHi3_TrnJrfC3YHuvi6Kuql8JDOmNFA_lx5ewK37dZIKcLUck1m_8ghwKj-Br0WmAxX43GE8TArfhQZXjqV_c3TOX/s1600/1+Flapper+L110+20100804KCB_SJ1-009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekxqfdQK_qcBTtWlhPU040yj4Xup7qh1VE_esuWgZYRsmAz88xa8JHi3_TrnJrfC3YHuvi6Kuql8JDOmNFA_lx5ewK37dZIKcLUck1m_8ghwKj-Br0WmAxX43GE8TArfhQZXjqV_c3TOX/s400/1+Flapper+L110+20100804KCB_SJ1-009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flapper</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And, last but not least, we have L110, a very rambunctious young male born to a young mother, L83 first daughter of L47. We first saw him in August 2007, still showing evidence of fetal folds from recent birth; but, by October he had clear evidence of a mark that will no doubt remain with him for the rest of his life: a large flap of his upper right lip had been torn askew and was protruding awkwardly from the starboard side of his face, perhaps from an encounter with the steel leader of a fishing line. He also now has evidence of a bulbous tooth abscess just in front of the flap. I am going to call him “Flapper”, in anticipation that a bit of Aussie humor will be good for him. He probably does not mind his easily remembered name, though others might.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> My apologies to those who may be offended by the names and numbers I have given these whales. I’ve given the subject a fair amount of thought over three decades, and have refrained from giving them meaningless, stupid, or unpronounceable names. You may call them anything you wish, but I have been keeping the official records of these whales from the beginning of their study, and these names and numbers are what we will write in our books. The paternity paper is in preparation and due out soon; and it is likely to be at least as interesting reading, if not downright scandalous. Here’s a little teaser: the whales apparently live up to the motto: “Old Guys Rule” and you can guess what that is about.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> We will discuss the reasons for the SRKW population bottleneck in another writing. Meanwhile, do whatever you can to promote healthy wild salmon populations, particularly Chinook salmon, in the Pacific Northwest if you would like these babies and the SRKW population to survive.<o:p></o:p></div><o:p></o:p> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNahfBQJzUwwt0hqq3-rElMlLMNQ4nZZ2NbPJ9RIvl6mmd3hXHqFcQJopxhioN1htu2h0jhIoKFvdxQN0epAwjQdbZ7_BwH109HTJQTEAYVPJjod5JCykpPrb3jzgusHrWVwqdneuSh2s/s1600/07_L114+and+L77_20100221DKE_DG1-227-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNahfBQJzUwwt0hqq3-rElMlLMNQ4nZZ2NbPJ9RIvl6mmd3hXHqFcQJopxhioN1htu2h0jhIoKFvdxQN0epAwjQdbZ7_BwH109HTJQTEAYVPJjod5JCykpPrb3jzgusHrWVwqdneuSh2s/s640/07_L114+and+L77_20100221DKE_DG1-227-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">R.I.P., L114</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Another new calf in L pod, L114 born to L 77, first appeared in February 2010, but it did not survive to summer. No name, but only a number for its tombstone in our records. (see<a href="http://whaleresearch.com/orca_ID_matrilines.html"> Matriline guide</a> on our website).<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Photos by the author, Ken Balcomb<o:p></o:p></div>Candace Calloway Whitinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977971893977757785noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-26141132017480479082010-08-04T17:47:00.000-07:002010-08-04T17:52:58.367-07:00The Orca Calf 'Star' Continues To Shine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHC9IJ6itJPMu7JxokrvxUIXwKj00k-QDphPwifY2GOXZpHLeDNrWMXE9fSONs5aL5jVy8PYYUFqZKPEBDrq_9KdVhQJf93fUIu6LXitBjVjrA-eZ46q2KB9gUv4uHVCv-oTXRGuEcZNQ/s1600/J-46+Star+44_20100718EAF_SJ1-074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHC9IJ6itJPMu7JxokrvxUIXwKj00k-QDphPwifY2GOXZpHLeDNrWMXE9fSONs5aL5jVy8PYYUFqZKPEBDrq_9KdVhQJf93fUIu6LXitBjVjrA-eZ46q2KB9gUv4uHVCv-oTXRGuEcZNQ/s640/J-46+Star+44_20100718EAF_SJ1-074.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Eight month old orca calf 'Star'<br />
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Last November, when this calf was born the Center for Whale Research broke from custom and gave the baby the name 'Star' in addition to assigning it the usual number (J-46, 'J' for its family pod, and '46' for the fact that it is the 46th J pod member identified):<br />
<br />
<blockquote>The new baby is designated J46, and we are going to call it "Star", for the role that it will play in showing the human inhabitants in this region that it is important to clean up Puget Sound and restore healthy abundant salmon populations to the Pacific Northwest. That mission brings a message to all of the relevant human nations – USA, Canada, First Nations, Treaty, and non-Treaty – that the first intelligent mammal residents of the region are also investing in these efforts. We could not ask for a more charismatic indicator, a baby whale, to measure the success of our renewed efforts for restoration.<br />
<br />
J pod is the most watched family of whales in the Pacific Northwest, or perhaps in the world; and, this is the first year in recent decades that they have produced three babies within one year. We will all be watching, here and worldwide, carefully and respectfully, to see if they beat the odds and all survive. This is the reality show that really means something.</blockquote><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbLQzH7Jt4qu3tsFrDIqTh6hcrAT7Vbe6SFbzH_i85cefrzz2kP-QUWWDS4NRlPErlJuHOjFTTEnLAqbIexdzRPDlY8ORdm2IwXnTyUVAUleuG2zU00Zj7X2OQ-LHrTKxicuUdAKO7V39/s1600/J-46+Star+J-28+04_2010_jan+29_j28j46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbLQzH7Jt4qu3tsFrDIqTh6hcrAT7Vbe6SFbzH_i85cefrzz2kP-QUWWDS4NRlPErlJuHOjFTTEnLAqbIexdzRPDlY8ORdm2IwXnTyUVAUleuG2zU00Zj7X2OQ-LHrTKxicuUdAKO7V39/s640/J-46+Star+J-28+04_2010_jan+29_j28j46.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
'Star' at two months old.<br />
<br />
All of the J-pod calves born last year look healthy, and if you look carefully at the picture below you will see all three of the calves together with Star's mom and grandmother, the calves no doubt enjoying some play time together.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrA2JchRpH-Bvo7oaFiDgUt7Te2a8NWqWFDBXRqOHBzdmHSWcxOGkGLphAopZKIX-r50DI1PePfdE6ZCjOvQEii7zZco6K6TCuMvwJmEf_J2b2teJyxl7GdKsvarLrf4vV3Ocb8UmgIlA0/s1600/J-46+Star+27_20100606KCB_DG1-0386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrA2JchRpH-Bvo7oaFiDgUt7Te2a8NWqWFDBXRqOHBzdmHSWcxOGkGLphAopZKIX-r50DI1PePfdE6ZCjOvQEii7zZco6K6TCuMvwJmEf_J2b2teJyxl7GdKsvarLrf4vV3Ocb8UmgIlA0/s640/J-46+Star+27_20100606KCB_DG1-0386.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHC9IJ6itJPMu7JxokrvxUIXwKj00k-QDphPwifY2GOXZpHLeDNrWMXE9fSONs5aL5jVy8PYYUFqZKPEBDrq_9KdVhQJf93fUIu6LXitBjVjrA-eZ46q2KB9gUv4uHVCv-oTXRGuEcZNQ/s1600/J-46+Star+44_20100718EAF_SJ1-074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
'Star' swimming with mom J-28, grandmother J-17, uncle J-44 and cousin J-47<br />
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So far, Star's future is shining brightly, as people continue to increase efforts to restore Chinook salmon populations and modify commercial fisheries. This little whale is indeed an icon of humanity's progress, and we'll keep an eye on this Star and report her progress as time goes on.Candace Calloway Whitinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977971893977757785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-26020560519710003082010-07-12T15:55:00.000-07:002010-07-12T15:55:00.069-07:00From the L.A.Times: Scientists expected Obama administration to be friendlierThe following was sent to us from WildSalmon.org, a group which is working in part to help re-establish Chinook salmon populations, the Southern Resident orcas main food. Please go to the original article and make comments if possible.<br />
<br />
<a href="latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-science-obama-20100711,0,6168522.story latimes.com">latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-science-obama-20100711,0,6168522.story<br />
latimes.com</a><br />
<br />
A culture of politics trumping science, many say, persists despite the president's promises. The use of potentially toxic dispersants to fight the gulf oil spill is cited as just one example.<br />
By Tom Hamburger and Kim Geiger, Tribune Washington Bureau<br />
9:42 PM PDT, July 10, 2010<br />
Reporting from Washington<br />
When he ran for president, Barack Obama attacked the George W. Bush administration for putting political concerns ahead of science on such issues as climate change and public health. And during his first weeks in the White House, President Obama ordered his advisors to develop rules to "guarantee scientific integrity throughout the executive branch."<br />
<br />
Many government scientists hailed the president's pronouncement. But a year and a half later, no such rules have been issued. Now scientists charge that the Obama administration is not doing enough to reverse a culture that they contend allowed officials to interfere with their work and limit their ability to speak out.<br />
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"We are getting complaints from government scientists now at the same rate we were during the Bush administration," said Jeffrey Ruch, an activist lawyer who heads an organization representing scientific whistle-blowers.<br />
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White House officials, however, said they remained committed to protecting science from interference and that proposed guidelines would be forwarded to Obama in the near future.<br />
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But interviews with several scientists — most of whom requested anonymity because they feared retaliation in their jobs — as well as reviews of e-mails provided by Ruch and others show a wide range of complaints during the Obama presidency:<br />
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In Florida, water-quality experts reported government interference with efforts to assess damage to the Everglades stemming from development projects.<br />
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In the Pacific Northwest, federal scientists said they were pressured to minimize the effects they had documented of dams on struggling salmon populations.<br />
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In several Western states, biologists reported being pushed to ignore the effects of overgrazing on federal land.<br />
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In Alaska, some oil and gas exploration decisions given preliminary approval under Bush moved forward under Obama, critics said, despite previously presented evidence of environmental harm.<br />
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The most immediate case of politics allegedly trumping science, some government and outside environmental experts said, was the decision to fight the gulf oil spill with huge quantities of potentially toxic chemical dispersants despite advice to examine the dangers more thoroughly.<br />
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And the Union of Concerned Scientists, a Washington-based organization, said it had received complaints from scientists in key agencies about the difficulty of speaking out publicly.<br />
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"Many of the frustrations scientists had with the last administration continue currently," said Francesca Grifo, the organization's director of scientific integrity.<br />
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For example, Grifo said, one biologist with a federal agency in Maryland complained that his study of public health data was purposefully disregarded by a manager who is not a scientist. The biologist, Grifo said, feared expressing his concerns inside and outside the agency.<br />
<br />
Most of the examples provided by Ruch, Grifo and others come from scientists who insist on anonymity, making it difficult for agencies to respond specifically to the complaints. Officials at those agencies maintain that scientists are allowed and encouraged to speak out if they believe a policy is at odds with their findings.<br />
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The director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, John P. Holdren, said in a statement last month that the president effectively set policy in his March 2009 memorandum calling for administration-wide scientific integrity standards.<br />
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"There should not be any doubt that these principles have been in effect — that is, binding on all executive departments and agencies," Holdren said, adding that "augmentation of these principles" will be coming soon.<br />
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Still, Grifo said, the volume of the complaints indicates a real problem and makes it "vital" that the Obama administration issue additional instructions. While overall respect for science may have improved under Obama, several scientists said in interviews that they were still subject to interference.<br />
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Ruch, referring to reports from government scientists in Alaska, said that under Bush, the agency that issues oil and gas drilling leases "routinely prevented scientists from raising ecological concerns about the effects of oil spills, introduction of invasive species, and any other issue that might trigger the need for fuller environmental review."<br />
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In keeping the Bush Interior Department managers and policies in place, Ruch said, Obama appointees have "turned a blind eye toward federal court rulings that said Bush-era lease reviews were environmentally deficient, as well as a GAO report documenting how agency scientists were routinely stifled and ignored."<br />
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Kendra Barkoff, a spokeswoman at the Interior Department, disagreed with Ruch's assertion, saying that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar "has made it very clear that decisions will be made based on a cautious, science-based approach."<br />
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Ruch's organization, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, also said it had been contacted by an EPA toxicologist who said a request for review of the toxicity of oil dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico was rebuffed.<br />
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EPA analyst Hugh B. Kaufman, a 39-year veteran, said he had heard similar complaints from colleagues. Kaufman believes that his agency "gave the green light to using dispersants without doing the necessary studies."<br />
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A past EPA administrator, William Reilly, said in an interview with CBS last month that he had refused to allow the toxic chemicals' use after the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off the coast of Alaska because of the potential effect on salmon.<br />
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Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, who has proposed legislation to prohibit dispersant use until further scientific studies are completed, said the EPA "has been entirely irresponsible" in its review of dispersants.<br />
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In May, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson acknowledged that dispersants could be problematic, but that "they are used to move us toward the lesser of two difficult environmental outcomes."<br />
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EPA Press Secretary Adora Andy said, "The data we have seen to date indicate that dispersant is less toxic than oil."<br />
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"If the science indicates dispersants are causing more damage than they're preventing, [Jackson] will be the first to sound the alarm," Andy said.<br />
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White House officials say the administration's commitment to science has not wavered.<br />
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"It is important to appreciate that this administration has made scientific integrity a priority from Day One — in the people we've appointed, the policies we've adopted, the budgets we've proposed, and the processes we follow," says Rick Weiss, an analyst and spokesman for the Office of Science and Technology Policy.<br />
<br />
White House science advisor Holdren told the House Science and Technology Committee in February that his office had been delayed in releasing its guidelines on scientific integrity due to "the difficulties of constructing a set of guidelines that would be applicable across all the agencies and accepted by all concerned."<br />
<br />
Scientists and environmental groups have lauded Obama for appointing highly regarded scientists to top posts within the administration. But so far, critics said, those appointments have not eliminated the problems faced by lower-level government scientists.<br />
<br />
For example, Ruch said, he has been contacted by two federal scientists who charged that their efforts to implement stricter water-quality rules had been suppressed.<br />
<br />
In the Pacific Northwest, Ruch said, his organization has heard in the last 16 months from multiple federal fisheries biologists who report that they are under pressure to downplay the impact of dams on wild salmon.<br />
<br />
And in Western states, federal biologists report that they are under pressure not to disclose the full impact of cattle grazing on federal lands, according to Ruch's group and others.<br />
<br />
Katie Fite of the Western Watersheds Project, an organization that monitors grazing, backs those allegations. Fite said that scientists had complained to her that "all of the incentives are geared to support grazing and energy development," which could adversely affect plants and other animals.<br />
<br />
"Basically, science is still being scuttled," Fite said. "We are heartbroken."<br />
<br />
Most critics said they were disappointed that protection of science and scientists did not become more of a priority after the election.<br />
<br />
Eric Glitzenstein, a Washington attorney who has filed suit to block projects approved by the Army Corps of Engineers, the Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies, said he had expected the culture to change under Obama.<br />
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"The administration's been in long enough that if that was going to happen, we should have seen it by now," he said. "We simply haven't."<br />
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<b>Please go online <a href="http://latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-science-obama-20100711,0,6168522.story">L.A.Times</a> and make a comment, or email the authors. Your opinion counts!</b><br />
<br />
tom.hamburger@latimes.com<br />
<br />
kim.geiger@latimes.com<br />
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times<br />
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Candace Calloway Whitinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977971893977757785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293124983987383382.post-62969041304176515482010-06-28T10:34:00.000-07:002010-06-28T10:36:13.076-07:00Obama Administration officials are coming to Seattle and they want (need!) to hear from you!There is no issue more crucial to the survival of the Southern Resident orcas than assuring them of a reliable source of Chinook salmon, please attend if you can, and spread the message of this important event.<br />
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Sent to us by <a href="http://www.wildsalmon.org">wildsalmon.org<br />
</a><br />
"Likely attendees, from what we hear, include: <br />
<br />
Secy of Interior<br />
Head of National Park Svc<br />
Head of EPA<br />
Head of White House Council on Environmental Quality<br />
<br />
And see <a href="http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/">http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/</a> and <a href="http://www.doi.gov/news/mediaadvisories/Public-Listening-Session-Announced-for-Americas-Great-Outdoors-Initiative-July-1-2010.cfm">http://www.doi.gov/news/mediaadvisories/Public-Listening-Session-Announced-for-Americas-Great-Outdoors-Initiative-July-1-2010.cfm</a> for more info <br />
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> Obama Administration officials are coming to Seattle and they want (need!) to hear from you! <br />
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> <b>"America's Great Outdoors" Listening Session will be held on Thursday July 1st at Franklin High School. </b><i>This is the most important opportunity in years to have your voice heard to help shape how our Northwest lands, rivers, fish and wildlife will be managed for the foreseeable future. </i><br />
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> And it represents a great opportunity to show Northwest support for restoring a healthy Snake River that works for everyone - salmon and other wildlife, and people in the fishing, farming, recreation, and other economies. <br />
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> <b>Seattle's Listening Session may be the only one in the Pacific Northwest.</b> It is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with senior administration officials and tell them about the opportunity to restore a working Snake River by removing four federal dams in eastern Washington so that this important river can once again support healthy populations of wild salmon and steelhead, family wage jobs, and diverse recreational opportunities, while supporting prosperous farming communities at the same time. <br />
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> Please help Save Our Wild Salmon and many other salmon, fishing, and conservation advocates take advantage of this opportunity and send a clear message to the Obama Administration - please put this important Listening Session on your calendar and join us on July 1st at Franklin High School! <br />
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> See details below. <br />
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> <b>If you can attend, please contact Dan or Sam right away, and we can answer any questions you have and make sure you have "Salmon Talking Points" to guide your comments on July 1st. <br />
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> Dan Drais: dan@wildsalmon.org 206-286-4455, x107<br />
> Sam Mace: sam@wildsalmon.org 509-863-5696<br />
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> Everybody is welcome - but you can help the planners by signing up to attend here now. <br />
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> Northwest Listening Session and Discussion Information: <br />
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> WHEN: Thursday, July 1, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm <br />
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> WHAT: Public Listening Session on the President's America's Great Outdoors Initiative <br />
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> WHERE: Franklin High School at 3013 South Mount Baker Blvd, Seattle, Washington, 98144</b><br />
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> WHO: YOU! And representatives from DOI, USDA, EPA, and CEQ who will be present to hear your thoughts and to participate in a conversation with you about landscape conservation, salmon restoration, recreation, and reconnecting Americans to the great outdoors. <br />
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> MORE INFORMATION:<br />
> You can find more information here at the <a href="http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/">America's Great Outdoors Initiative</a> Online<br />
> Dan Drais: dan@wildsalmon.org 206-286-4455, x107<br />
> Sam Mace: sam@wildsalmon.org 509-863-5696 <br />
><br />
> A PUBLIC LISTENING SESSION ON THE PRESIDENT'S AMERICA'S GREAT OUTDOORS INITIATIVE <br />
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> In April, at the White House Conference on America's Great Outdoors, President Obama established the America's Great Outdoors Initiative to develop a conservation and recreation agenda worthy of the 21st century and to reconnect Americans with our great outdoors. The President understands that protecting and restoring the lands and waters that we love and reconnecting people to the outdoors must be community-driven and supported. <br />
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> The President directed the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality to lead this effort and to listen and learn from people all over the country. Please join senior representative of these agencies for a public listening session and discussion on land conservation, recreation, and reconnecting Americans to the great outdoors. <br />
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> In the Northwest, you and many other citizens and organizations are deeply involved in the conservation of working farms, forests, lakes, and rivers, scenic lands, and historic areas, and in celebrating and enjoying the region's rich outdoor and cultural heritage. <br />
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> This public listening session and discussion is an opportunity for leaders of the America's Great Outdoors Initiative to hear from you about solutions for building a 21st century conservation and recreation agenda and reconnecting all Americans with the outdoors. <br />
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> We look forward to seeing you there! <br />
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> Joseph, Sam, and Dan<br />
> Save Our Wild Salmon<br />
><a href=" www.wildsalmon.org"> www.wildsalmon.org</a><br />
> <a href="http://www.workingsnakeriver.org">www.workingsnakeriver.org</a>"Candace Calloway Whitinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977971893977757785noreply@blogger.com0