6 minute read
The Southern Residents
Story by: Barry Swanson
Thoroughbred Today magazine's One World spotlights the effects of human interference on the many different species with whom we share the world, building awareness so that each of us can help make a difference and ensure their future. Author of the novel “Lost Frequency,” Barry Swanson kicks off the series with a story on the critically endangered Southern Residents; a family of killer whales who call the Salish Sea home.
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It was late summer, 2018, and my partner Rachelle, a self-taught orca aficionado, assured me they were coming. “They will be rounding that point to the left soon,” she stated confidently as we stood on a sandstone outcrop overlooking an area of the Salish Sea known to be frequented by the Southern Resident Killer Whales. “No talking once we see them. There will be about 20 whales so we should get a chance at some great shots.”
I could feel the adrenaline coursing through me. Emotions were running high as we had recently seen female orca J-35 carrying her dead calf; she swam with her lifeless newborn on her rostrum for seventeen days and covered over 1,000 miles in the process. Her vigil captured the hearts of many and made front page news as far away as the United Kingdom. When asked, scientists resisted referencing J-35’s actions as expressing grief. That would be anthropomorphizing and science tends to stay clear of attaching human characteristics to our mammalian relatives.
“Here they come,” Rachelle said with a hint of anxiety in her tone. Yes, I could see them. The blows, the dorsals. At least 20 whales swimming straight for us. I instantly recognized that if they continued on their current path they would be mere feet away from us as they swam past. A wave of love and contentment blanketed me as the world seemed to slow down.
Members of J-pod, J-41 (Eclipse, born 2005) alongside son J-51 (Nova, born 2015) in their home waters. J-41 is the youngest known mother in the Southern Resident community.
Credit: Karoline Cullen
The matrilineal J-17 was leading the group, swimming right at the surface as she approached us. Her magnificent black and white body gliding through the clear, clean water as her family and pod mates followed close. Some of the orcas swam inverted and slapped their tales on the water, another spyhopped to make a visual inspection of the environment above the waterline. They were playing and socializing together, the same way a human family might on a Sunday afternoon.
Suddenly, out of the corner of my right eye, I caught a glimpse of a black mass coming up at me. As I turned to look, J-35 was in full breach and turning in the air so she would land on her side. Splash! She landed with full impact and kicked her tail flukes with emphasis as she swam inverted and looked up at me, the human on the rock, about 15 feet away. Did she see me? Does it matter? I saw her and she seemed happy.
Born in 1998, J-35, also known as Tahlequah, has birthed two offspring—a male in 2010 and the lifeless female calf she was seen carrying in 2018. On August 6, 2019, the Center for Whale Research made an announcement: after months of poor health and more than 60 days after having gone missing, a member of J-pod had died. J-17, Princess Angeline, was 42 years old. She was last seen in early June 2019, displaying what marine biologists refer to as “peanut head,” a condition where orcas lose fat in and around their heads due to starvation. She left behind a son, J-44 (Moby, born 2009), and two daughters: J-53 (Kiki, born 2015) and J-35 (Tahlequah).
A member of the Southern Residents spyhops in Active Pass, a strait in the Salish Sea that separates Galiano Island and Mayne Island in British Columbia, Canada.
Credit: Karoline Cullen
Killer whales, or orcas, are part of the dolphin family and the top predators and cultural icons of the Salish Sea—an intricate network of coastal waterways inclusive of the southwestern portion of British Columbia, Canada, and the northwestern portion of Washington, USA. During the spring, summer and fall months, the Southern Resident Killer Whales—a large extended family comprised of three pods: J, K, and L pods—can be seen regularly in the area and have recently been spotted as far south as the coast of central California and as far north as Haida Gwaii; however, little is known about where they go during the winter. Within each pod, families form into sub-pods centered around older females, usually grandmothers or great-grandmothers, and both male and female offspring remain in close association with their mothers for life.
In 2005, the Southern Residents were officially listed as endangered species in both the U.S. and Canada. Down from their peak of 98 individuals in 1995, 73 remain as of August 2019, putting their numbers at a 30-year low. Their population is closely tied to the overall health of the ecosystem, but a decrease in their preferred diet of Chinook salmon, high levels of man-made contaminants and chemicals in the water, and an increase in underwater noise from vessels, have conspired to push the Southern Residents towards extinction.
Many agencies are now working to address threats by focusing on projects that address food sources, pollution, disturbance from boat traffic, and oil spills. You can also play a role in making a difference for these iconic killer whales. Continue reading below to learn five ways you can help.
Southern Resident Killer Whales, or SRKWs for short, swim through the cool, dark waters of the Salish Sea.
Credit: Karoline Cullen
Ways you can help make a difference:
1. Use your voice to share the story of the Southern Residents with family and friends to spread awareness.
2. Contact your elected officials and ask them to oppose harmful changes to the Endangered Species Act.
3. The Southern Residents’ diet almost exclusively consists of Chinook salmon. When choosing your next meal, opt for sustainably-harvested wild salmon like pink or chum and go with products labeled “Salmon-Safe.”
4. Going whale watching? Choose a responsibly-managed whale watching vessel that adheres to federally mandated laws and viewing guidelines to keep orcas safe.
5. Use less plastic and dispose of garbage, unused medicine and chemicals properly. Never dump them into household toilets/ sinks or outside where they can get into ditches or storm drains. See if your community has a household hazardous waste collection facility that will take your old or unused chemicals.
If you enjoyed this story, please share it on social media to help spread awareness for the Southern Residents.
Get to know all of the Southern Residents by name at whalemuseum.org/collections/meet-the-whales and visit whales.org or whaleresearch.com to learn more about the situation facing these critically endangered icons and get involved today.
A very big thank you to Rachelle Hayden and Barry Swanson for collaborating with Thoroughbred Today to spread awareness on the Southern Residents. Be sure to check out Barry's novel, "Lost Frequency," a page-turning philosophical thriller that revolves around the Southern Resident Killer Whales, confronts animal rights, human nature, artificial intelligence, and the perils of technology turned loose. Available in paperback, digital, and audio formats on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible.
