Sick orca spotted near San Juan Island
Sep 3, 2018, 12:58 PM | Updated: 4:01 pm
J-50 swims with her pod. (File photo by Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries)
(File photo by Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries)
After fears that she had died, sickly orca calf J-50, also known as Scarlet, was been spotted in Hein Bank – waters off of San Juan Island – on Monday.
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“There will be a veterinarian to try to do a health assessment just as soon as they can. That’s what they’ve been trying to do but were waiting for her to come back in,” said NOAA spokesperson Jim Milbury.
He said if crews can get close enough, they’ll inject Scarlet with a dart containing antibiotics and a dewormer. She received her first round of antibiotics in mid-August.
An emergency response by teams of scientists from the U.S. and Canada was triggered earlier this summer when it appeared the 3-year-old female was emaciated, and possibly days from death.
Attention turned to J50 after another calf in her pod died on July 24. The dead calf’s mother, J35, carried its carcass for more than two weeks as it appeared to grieve.
Veterinarians believe the dewormer should help J50 reduce burdens to her system and allow her to start regaining weight that she’s lost. NOAA says dewormer and antibiotics have proven safe and successful in other whales.
The Lummi Nation attempted to feed live salmon from a boat to J50 on Aug. 12, but it’s unclear if she ate. Despite falling about a half-mile behind her pod, observers noted her energetic behavior.
