Newest member of J-pod seen May 2, 2007:
Newborn calf J42 makes first appearance.
photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
J42, the newest member of J-pod, surfaces next to it's mother J16 (born ~1972).
photo by Katie Jones. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
J40 (female, b.2004) leaps exuberantly out of the water off Henry Island May 2, 2007.
photo by Courtney Smith. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
J40 breaches in the evening sun just offshore of Kellett Bluff, Henry Island, May 2, 2007.
photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
A J-pod female surfs a passing ship's wake off Kellett Bluff, May 2, 2007.
photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
Members of J-pod, including J19 (foreground), surface in a tight formation May 2, 2007.
Encounter #011
May 2, 2007
J pod
Platform: Orca
Departed Snug Harbor: 2:57 p.m.
Begin Encounter: 3:16 p.m.
Start Lat: 48° 29.82 N
Start Long: 123° 09.58 W
End encounter: 5:13 p.m.
End Lat: 48° 36.58 N
End Long: 123° 14.30 W
Returned to Snug Harbor: 5:30 p.m.
Observers: Dave Ellifrit, Katie Jones, Courtney Smith..
Following several reports of a possible new calf in J-pod Wednesday, May 2, 2007, Dave Ellifrit, Katie Jones and Courtney Smith of the Center for Whale Research responded to the reports and encountered J-pod off the west side of San Juan Island traveling slowly northbound.
Upon closer inspection, Dave Ellifrit confirmed that J16 (born ~1972) did in fact have a new calf beside her. The new calf is officially designated J42, though the sex of the young whale is yet to be determined. The new calf is the fourth calf born to J16. Her other offspring include: J26 (male, 1991); J33 (male, 1996); and J36 (unk., 1999).
J-pod was last encountered by the Center for Whale Research April 28, 2007. J16 did not have the calf with her at that time, which leads Center staff to believe the newborn calf is less than 4 days-old at the time of this encounter.
With the addition of J42 this brings the number of J-pod whales to 25 individuals, and the Southern Resident population (including the newest calf in L-pod reported off Monterey March 24-25, 2007) to 87*.
*This number is an estimate only, as the population census will not be official until the K's and L's have returned to the San Juan Islands, and the staff of the Center for Whale Research have had ample time to confirm the presence or absence of every member of the SRKW population.
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Related stories:
• The Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Scientists confirm birth of baby orca"
• The Seattle PI/Dateline Earth (blog): "New baby orca in Puget Sound"
• The Seattle Times: "Orca calf a new addition to local whale pod"
• The Seattle Times (online edition): "New orca calf in Puget Sound"
• Victoria Times Columnist, Vancouver Sun, and the Ottowa Citizen:
"Jubilation as baby killer whale is born in J Pod; mother is Slick"
Following the release of this story, it was picked up and broadcast by numerous news outlets throughout the region, including: KIRO 710 radio (Ron & Don Show, May 4, 2007: live interview); KOMO 4 TV: 6 p.m. broadcast; KOMO radio (morning edition, May 4, 2007: live interview with Ken Balcomb); KING 5 TV; Q13 TV; KGW.com, Oregon; Bellingham Herald; Seattle Post Intelligencer; Seattle Times; Victoria Times Columnist; Vancouver Sun; and the Ottowa Citizen.
