MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Missing orca presumed dead; NOAA maintains search

Sep 13, 2018, 9:59 AM | Updated: 5:54 pm

Biologists attempt to feed J50 live salmon. (NOAA West Coast Fisheries) J50 near Lime Kiln Point, San Juan Island, and with other females in her family on Aug. 11, 2018. (Photos by Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries) Researchers take breath samples of the orca known as J50 on July 21, 2018. ( Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries) Biologists attempt to feed J50 live salmon. (NOAA West Coast Fisheries) Biologists attempt to feed J50 live salmon. (NOAA West Coast Fisheries) Biologists attempt to feed J50 live salmon. (NOAA West Coast Fisheries) Biologists attempt to feed J50 live salmon. (NOAA West Coast Fisheries) Biologists attempt to feed J50 live salmon. (NOAA West Coast Fisheries) Biologists attempt to feed J50 live salmon. (NOAA West Coast Fisheries) Biologists attempt to feed J50 live salmon. (NOAA West Coast Fisheries) Biologists attempt to feed J50 live salmon. (NOAA West Coast Fisheries) Biologists attempt to feed J50 live salmon. (NOAA West Coast Fisheries)  In this Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, photo released by the Center for Whale Research, an orca, known as J35, foreground, swims with other orcas near Friday Harbor, Alaska. Researchers said J-35 an endangered killer whale that drew international attention as she carried her dead calf on her head for more than two weeks is finally back to feeding and frolicking with her pod. (Center for Whale Research via AP) J50 off San Juan Island. (Photos by Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries) J Pod moved into Canadian waters on Friday.  (Photo by Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries) Jeff Foster prepares to take a breath sample from J50, Aug. 9, 2018. (Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries) Dr. Martin Haulena, Dr. Brad Hanson, and Trevor Foster prepare to adminsiter an injection of antibiotics to J50 on Aug. 9, 2018. (Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries) Jeff Foster tests the breath sampling pole that teams will use during the planned health assessment of J50. (Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries) Jeff Foster of the Whale Sanctuary Project checks the pole that will be used to collect breath samples during the planned health assessment of J50 (John Gussman/NOAA Fisheries) Dr. Martin Haulena of the Vancouver Aquarium and Jeff Foster of the Whale Sanctuary Project, prepare antibiotics to administer to J50, Aug. 9, 2018. (Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries) J50 is still keeping up with her pod, Aug. 9, 2018. (Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries) Orca known as J53 pushes her late calf in the waters near Cape Flattery, Wash. Aug. 8, 2018. (Sara Tavares, Fisheries and Oceans Canada) The orca known as J50 near Cape Flattery, Wash. Aug. 8, 2018. (Brian Gisborne, Fisheries and Oceans Canada)  In this Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018, Southern Resident killer whale J50 and her mother, J16, swim off the west coast of Vancouver Island near Port Renfrew, B.C. J50 is the sick whale that a team of experts are hoping to save by giving her antibiotics or feeding her live salmon at sea. The experts now have authorization to intervene with medical treatment in both U.S. and Canadian waters once the critically endangered orca shows up again in the inland waters of the Pacific Northwest. (Brian Gisborne/Fisheries and Oceans Canada via AP) Fisheries and Oceans Canada spotted J50 and her pod near the west entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. (Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries) Orca researchers follow J50 and her pod in Puget Sound. (NOAA) 
              In this photo taken Tuesday, July 24, 2018, provided by the Center for Whale Research, a baby orca whale is being pushed by her mother after being born off the Canada coast near Victoria, British Columbia. The new orca died soon after being born. Ken Balcomb with the Center for Whale Research says the dead calf was seen Tuesday being pushed to the surface by her mother just a half hour after it was spotted alive. Balcomb says the mother was observed propping the newborn on her forehead and trying to keep it near the surface of the water. (Michael Weiss/Center for Whale Research via AP)
            
              In this photo taken Tuesday, July 24, 2018, provided by the Center for Whale Research, a baby orca whale is being pushed by her mother after being born off the Canada coast near Victoria, British Columbia. The new orca died soon after being born. Ken Balcomb with the Center for Whale Research says the dead calf was seen Tuesday being pushed to the surface by her mother just a half hour after it was spotted alive. Balcomb says the mother was observed propping the newborn on her forehead and trying to keep it near the surface of the water. (David Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research via AP)

The sick orca scientists have been trying to save is presumed dead.

RELATED: Seattle market to stop selling chinook to help orcas

The Center for Whale Research delivered the message on Thursday afternoon. The last known sighting of J50, also known as Scarlet, was on Friday, Sept. 7. Scientists have spotted other members of her pod since then.

The death is a major blow for the Southern Resident killer whales.

“The message brought by J50, and by J35 and her dead calf a few weeks ago, is that the SRKW are running out of reproductive capacity and extinction of this population is looming, while the humans convene task forces and conference calls that result in nothing, or worse than nothing, diverting attention and resources from solving the underlying ecological problems that will ultimately make this once-productive region unlivable for all.”
– Ken Balcomb, Center for Whale Research

NOAA, however, is not ready to give up their rescue response and will continue looking for the 3-year-old orca to make sure she’s not stranded.

They’re asking all boaters and pilots around the San Juan Islands to keep watch until further notice.

If NOAA finds Scarlet, they’ll likely try to capture her and perform a physical examination with the hope that new treatments might save her life.

NOAA Fisheries released this statement about the orca:

Unfortunately, J50 has not been seen in several days of favorable conditions and sightings of her pod and family group, including J16, her mother. Teams were on the water searching yesterday and are increasing a broad transboundary search today with our on-water partners and counterparts in Canada. We have alerted the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, which is a tremendous resource in such situations. Airlines flying in and out of the San Juan Islands are also on the lookout. We greatly appreciate all the help and concern.

 

“She was very emaciated; she was showing signs of what we call ‘peanut head,'” Balcomb said. “We’ve never seen a whale recover from that condition.”

“J Pod has been around the area for a number of days, probably four or five days,” Balcomb said. “The family of J50, J16 is also there. But nobody has seen (J50).”

Federal wildlife experts have been planning to capture the sick orca, then treat her medically. That action is considered a “last resort.” Orca have strong family bonds and researchers have not wanted to disrupt the unit.

Researchers believed that J50 was suffering from worms. Scientists have been trailing the sick whale for weeks, gathering samples to determine her condition. They even attempted to feed her salmon dosed with medicine and shot a dart at her with antibiotics.

There has been great interest in the health of the pod and J50 because the Puget Sound area’s orca population has been suffering. J50 is a female and it was hoped she would recover.

“Because she’s an important part of the population,” said Lynne Barre, NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Authorization Program. “A young female has the potential to be a functioning part of her family and contribute to the recovery of the population.”

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