This Is Not Good News For The Southern Resident Killer Whales

We’ve been sharing the news of the on-going baby boom happening with the Southern Resident Killer Whale population in the Pacific Northwest. It’s been exciting news over the last year.

But the Southern Resident Whales continue to face challenges. This week saw updated news about the death of two members of the L Pod.

The Seatle PI reported:

20 year old Nigel (L 95) and a two week old female calf were found a week apart in British Columbia, Canada. They both belonged to the Southern Resident Killer Whale clan. The necropsy (animal autopsy) reports are inconclusive at this point.

Nigel was tagged for a NOAA study, you can read about it here. The tag broke off, leaving parts in his dorsal fin but researchers found the information gained useful in learning where the Southern Resident orcas spend the winter.

This news is another example how of life in the wild is challenge for any species. We applaud the researchers, conservation groups and concerned citizens who are working to save this endangered population of killer whales.

h/t: Seattle PI