Staff have excellent opportunity to get
close look at new calf, August 22, 2007
photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
L87 leaps from the water along the west side of San Juan Island, August 22, 2007.
photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
The new calf (L110) surfaces beside it's mother (L83) revealing it's left eye and eyepatch. Eyepatches are another distinguishing feature that can be used to identify individual animals. Along with the annually published Orca Survey ID guide, the Center also maintains a comprehensive eyepatch catalog of nearly every whale in the SRKW population.
photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
L110 surfaces beside it's mother, L83. The vertical creases visible on the calf are referred to as "fetal folds," indicating this is a fairly young whale.
photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
A detailed look at the right side of L110 reveals a "closed" saddle.
Encounter #050
August 22, 2007
J-pod, K-pod and L-pod
Platform: Orca
Departed Snug Harbor: 10:27 a.m.
Begin Encounter: 10:47 a.m.
Start Lat: 48° 332.61 N
Start Long: 123° 10.55 W
End Encounter: 3:55 p.m.
End Lat: 48° 26.70 N
End Long: 123° 00.19 W
Returned to Snug Harbor: 4:40 p.m.
Observers: Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, Dave Ellifrit and Courtney Smith.
Center for Whale Research staff were alerted to the presence of Southern Resident Killer whales when vocalizations were heard coming from one of the hydrophones located along the west side of San Juan Island (
www.orcasound.net). Staff of the Center took the R/V Orca out to investigate. Members of J-pod, and subsequently K-pod were located spread out in Haro Strait traveling northbound. As the staff of the Center continued south towards False Bay and Eagle Point, members of the L-pod were encountered, and numerous "jumpers" (small salmon jumping at the surface) were observed. During the encounter staff observed J31, K35 and L87 chasing a salmon, and ultimately J31 was seen with the salmon held tightly in her mouth. Salmon scales were collected and will be provided to John Ford (DFO) and Brad Hanson (NWFSC).
The new calf L110 and it's mother L83 were also located among the pod, and detailed photographs of both the left and right side of the new calf were obtained. Though the L-pod remained in the vicinity of the west side of San Juan Island into the afternoon, the J-pod and K-pod traveled north through Boundary Pass, past East Point, ultimately heading to the Fraser River.
<High-quality video of the young calf taken August 22, 2007>
