Center for
WHALE RESEARCH

2018 Southern Resident Killer Whale Sightings

 

In 2018, Southern Resident killer whales were present in the “core summer habitat” on nearly 70 of the 183 days in the April – September time frame, with the number of individual whales present ranging from five whales to nearly 60 whales. Traditionally at least some of these whales would be present in and around the San Juan Islands or southern Strait of Georgia nearly every day during this six-month period; however, as shown in the middle graph, the presence of the Southern Resident killer whales in the “core summer habitat” has generally been declining in the past 10-15 years. These trends in attendance parallel the trends in Fraser River Chinook salmon abundance, as measured by the Albion Chinook Test Fishery on the Fraser River.

 

Other notes of interest:

• For the first time in a long time, no members of the Southern Residents were sighted in the “core summer habitat” during the month of May. Although the historical records are subject to some interpretation, it is very rare not to have J pod whales in inland waters on at least some days in May.

• Members of a small group of five L pod whales that includes the L54s, L84, and L88 have not yet made an appearance in inland waters in 2018 (within the range of CWR staff members based on San Juan Island). However, members of this group of whales have been photographed by colleagues and CWR sighting supporters throughout the year, and as recently as September 2018.

• While in inland waters, the routes to and from the Fraser River were less predictable in 2018, with whales utilizing San Juan Channel as an alternate route both to and from the Fraser River on a few days and Rosario Strait as a return route on other days (resulting in fewer days in Haro Strait).

• L87 spent a brief time away from J pod whales, but he was with members of other pods.

 

As in past years, the most commonly sighted whales in 2018 were members of J pod. Of the three pods, K pod whales spent the least number of days in inland waters (lower graph).

 

On some days in the summer of 2018, the only Southern Resident killer whales present in inland waters were the J16s and/or J17s. On other days, these whales remained separated from larger groups of Southern Residents. These two small family groups each included two whales of concern. The matriarchs, J16 and J17, were shown by aerial photogrammetry to be in poor body condition in September 2018 (Reference 1). J16’s four-year-old daughter, J50, died in September and J17's offspring, J35, gave birth to a female calf in July, but the calf did not survive. J35 carried the dead neonate with her for more than two weeks.