04/27/2006: "Whale Report"

The following is a copy of the Monthly Orca Update for April 2006, sent out by the Whale Museum.

By Jeanne Hyde

As April 20th approached the anticipation of J Pod's return grew. Many people shifted into ‘orca alert' mode. Well, the wait was over, when on the morning of April 19th J Pod was seen traveling north along the west side of San Juan Island. A few hours later they changed direction and came south.

The anticipation then shifted to "who had returned with J Pod?" Are they all there? Did the calves of last year survive the winter months? Are there any new additions to the pod? Shachi's (J-19) calf, J-41, referred to by many as the ‘little guy' (though the whale's sex is not yet known) was of great concern. This little guy seemed so small and he/she was less than six months old when J Pod went out the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the open ocean for most of the winter months.

Reports came in, via Orca Network, April 19th that yes, the ‘little guy' has survived the winter and in fact some said that this calf has really grown! Ruffles (J-1), now estimated to be 56 years old, returned along with Granny (J-2) whose estimated age is 91. As the day went on the list of J Pod whales sighted got longer and longer. Riptide (J-30) was spotted in the middle of Haro Strait with Ruffles, Shachi, and her calf J-41 along with other unidentified J pod whales. Shachi and calf were also seen earlier in the day, closer to shore, with Blossom (J-11), Granny, and Spieden (J-8). Spieden, who is known for her wheeze, was definitely heard by some and seen by others.

Also reported, was that the sprouter's (that's the teenage males) dorsal fins had really grown. Mike (J-26) and Blackberry (J-27) are both 15 years old this year. Most likely their dorsal fins will not yet be the towering six foot tall dorsal fin that Ruffles has, but over the next few years observers will get to see these fins continue to grow in height. Prior to Merlin's (J-3) death in 1994, at the age of 42, there were three adult J Pod whales. When Ralph (J-6) died in 1998, that left two adult males in J Pod because Everett has reached adulthood. The following year, Everett (J-18) died at the age of 22, leaving Ruffles as the only adult male in J Pod. Won't it be wonderful to see three tall dorsal fins in J Pod once again!

Continuing the report of the April 19th sighting, the whales were spread out that day in about three different groups, one group being a several miles south west of San Juan Island, one group being closer to shore along the west side of the island, and the third group out in the middle of Haro Strait. Ahhh...was what was heard from many, just to know they are back! The next time J Pod was heard was extremely early on Sunday morning, April 23rd over the hydrophones at the Center for Whale Research. When daylight arrived J Pod was several miles south of San Juan Island heading south. Seems they had traveled north a few times undetected, only to be located when they were in a southerly direction.

On April 24th they were spotted as they traveled north along the west side of the island. One observer sent in a picture of what looks to be J-41 and yes, the ‘little guy' sure has grown! Again they disappeared for a day and then were spotted off shore to the southwest heading toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

In early April, Cascadia Research sent a report to Orca Network of a sighting of about twelve L Pod whales. The whales were off the coast near Westport, Oregon heading north. The number twelve sounds as if it might be the subgroup called the L-12s, but confirmation on that will only come from I.D. photos. There have been no recent sightings of K Pod, nor other sightings of L Pod. In years past it has been common for K Pod and L Pod to return in late May or early June. However, in 2004, K pod did not return until July 8th. They had been on the north west side of Vancouver Island and finally returned to the waters around San Juan Island. The late arrival by K Pod that year may have had something to do with availability of food or that maybe they were just having a feast elsewhere. Speaking of feasting here are some interesting facts and observations about orca teeth.

Orca Teeth

Orca teeth are shaped differently than most carnivores/meat eaters. Other carnivores use incisors and canine teeth to grip and bite chunks of food and then use their premolars and molars to grind their food. Orcas, in contrast, have simple conical shaped teeth that are used to grasp their prey. Human teeth meet when the jaw is closed, but orca teeth interlock when the jaw is closed. It is not uncommon for the whales to play with their food and when ready to eat it they will bite their prey, sometimes swallowing it whole and sometimes ripping it, but they don't chew their food.

Kari Koski, Soundwatch Director, had several interesting interactions with Luna (L-98). When first seen by Kari, Luna was about two years old. Did you know that at that time, just like with humans, Luna didn't have all his teeth? In fact, his front teeth had not yet come in. Luna evidently liked to come up to the dock and bring things such as seaweed. Often, he would open his mouth which gave observers a great chance to see his teeth. Not ever having had the opportunity to peer into the mouth of a wild orca before, many observers were concerned about his ‘lack of teeth.' Over time people did see that his teeth had in fact come in.

In The Whale Museum Exhibit hall there is the skeleton of Moclips (L-8). He died almost 30 years ago at the estimated age of 20. Through the examination of Moclips' teeth, researchers learned that orca teeth contain growth rings, much like that of a tree. Moclips' teeth are the longest and largest along his bottom jaw beginning at about the fifth tooth back from the front. His front teeth pale in comparison to his mighty side teeth. Think about the size of an adult male orca. How long do you think those teeth of his might be?

Orca Birthdays for May

Lobo – Spring, 1993

Crewser – first seen May 20, 1995