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K, Lpod off Monterey Coast, March 24-25
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Photo courtesy of Jessica Riggin.
Washington Killer whales spending much of their winter in California waters
K and L-pod off Monterey over the weekend, new baby confirmed among them
 Two pods of Southern Resident Killer whales continued their “Spring Break” this past weekend, and were photographed off central California March 24-25. Nancy Black, of Monterey Bay Whale Watch, reported up to 60 killer whales in Monterey Bay over the weekend, and there was one very new baby among them.
Based on photographs provided to the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor, Washington, both K-pod and L-pod were present during the encounters over the weekend, and the new calf was confirmed to be in L-pod. J-pod, meanwhile, was sighted in Haro Strait, Washington, the same day the K’s and L’s were reported in California.
This past Fall the Southern Residents population dropped to 85 following the loss of three adult whales and two calves born in 2006. If the new calf — along with all the other members of the Southern Residents — survives to summer, the population would increase to 86.
“We’re very interested in keeping good track of these whales,” says Ken Balcomb, director of the Center for Whale Research. “If the whale’s presence is any indication of prey availability, coastal California stocks of Chinook salmon (O. tsawytscha) are, as expected, increasingly important to the survival of these endangered whales and they may provide their only hope of avoiding extinction.”
Over the past several months — and increasingly over the past seven winters — Southern Resident Killer whales from Washington have been seen off California. On January 24 of this year, K-pod was sighted off the Farrallon Islands near San Francisco. Then on March 18, whale-watchers sighted members of L-pod off Fort Bragg California. Now this latest encounter off Monterey California with both the K and L-pods suggests that the whales have been off the California coast much of the winter.
The last autumn encounter in Washington waters with the K and L-pods was October 23, 2006. The recent sightings off California add to a growing body of evidence that the Southern Residents are traveling hundreds of miles from their summer feeding areas in coastal waters of Washington state and lower British Columbia in search of food.
“Chinook salmon stocks in the Pacific Northwest from the Columbia River to Puget Sound and southern British Columbia are in serious trouble from habitat destruction, over-fishing, and dams,” says Balcomb. “These Pacific Northwest Chinook stocks cannot in the foreseeable future provide adequate year-round food for the whales or for commercial or sport fisheries. Hence, it appears the whales have
“Salmon recovery throughout the whales’ habitat range is essential for their long-term survival, and for viable commercial and sport fisheries. Bravo to Governor Schwarzenegger and the State of California for setting aside large parcels of ocean for salmon recovery. It should be a priority for everyone, and the entire coastal marine ecosystem is at stake.”
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For the past several winters, the whales have appeared off the California coast. This winter they were first spotted off the Farrallon Islands in late January, then off Fort Bragg in early March, and now in late March off Monterey Bay.
To read summary report of Resident encounter off Monterey, click here
To view map of Southern Resident Killer Whale distribution, click here
To view more photos of K, Lpod off Monterey, March 24, 2007, click here
To view photos of L109, the new calf in L-pod, click here
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Related stories:
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Baby Killer Whale Joins Population"
The Seattle Times: "Orca Pods Show Off Newest Member, named L109 For Now"
Victoria Times Columnist: "What's black and white and chilling in California?"
NBC 11 Broadcast Video Clip: "Killer Whales Spotted Near Monterey"
Associated Press Story: "Puget Sound Orcas Spotted with New Baby"
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