FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Orca Salmon Alliance mourns loss of J17, K25, L84
The 17-member coalition urges public to hold on to hope and all stakeholders to redouble meaningful, comprehensive, urgent and unified response efforts to save population
August 9, 2019
Contacts:
Cindy Hansen, Orca Network, 360-223-5666
Colleen Weiler, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, 810-813-1643
Katie Kirking, Orca Salmon Alliance, 509-999-8632
Sophia Ressler, Center for Biological Diversity, 206-399-4004
Seattle, Washington – Today, the Orca Salmon Alliance (OSA), along with all those who love the Southern Resident orcas, mourns the presumed passing of three beloved individuals: J17 (Princess Angeline); K25 (Scoter); and L84 (Nyssa). The Southern Resident population now stands at a shockingly low 73 members – just two higher than the population’s lowest recorded point of 71 following the live captures in the 1960s and 1970s.
“For many, the individual members of J, K, and L pods and their stories resonate in extremely impactful and personal ways,” said Katie Kirking of the Orca Salmon Alliance. “My family just lost our matriarch and we’re reeling, but to lose a matriarch in the Southern Resident population is not only devastating from a familial standpoint, it is devastating to the culture, knowledge, and even health of a matriline. J17 (Princess Angeline) was a beloved matriarch. The world was able to see her ferocious devotion to her fanily on display last year as Princess Angeline supported her daughter, Tahlequah, during the 17 days she carried her deceased calf. Now she is gone, a family group is without its matriarch, and Tahlequah has lost both her mother and her calf.”
“Losing L84 (Nyssa) came as a shock to many,” said Cindy Hansen of Orca Network. “Nyssa was part of what was once an amazing family group consisting of 11 individuals. His story was so touching to many of us. At a young age he tried to keep his infant sibling alive when their mother died, and then later adopted a surrogate mother after the rest of his family was gone. With the loss of Nyssa, the L9 matriline is now extinct. We must fight to make certain the entire Southern Resident population does not meet the same fate.”
“Sadly K25 (Scoter) has not been doing well since the death of his mother in 2017. We know that orca mothers are extremely important to the survival and well-being of their families, and research has shown that adult males are especially affected after the death of their mothers. We’re very sad to see K25 continue in this heartbreaking trend,” said Colleen Weiler of Whale and Dolphin Conservation. “The death of this young male orca makes us all concerned for J17’s son, who is now without his mother too.”
During the months the Southern Residents typically would be seen daily, J and K pods have only been in their core habitat for two days in June, July, and the first part of August. Meanwhile, L pod has not been seen in inland waters since January 11th. While researchers reported the orcas to be in better body condition than they had at this time last year, which suggests they are finding food on the coast, there is extreme concern with the lack of prey availability in their core summer range—their cultural home.
“We need a united focus on prey abundance throughout the Southern Residents’ range, including a hard look at the Fraser River as well as those in Western Washington such as the Skagit and Duwamish, and how we can increase abundance in the near and long term to allow this population to survive in their core habitat and societal home waters,” said Sophia Ressler of the Center for Biological Diversity.
“The orcas, despite heartbreaking losses, are clearly still fighting. We’ve had two successful births this year and an orca population that has shifted its deeply engrained seasonal patterns in order to find food. It’s time for stakeholders to set aside differences and address the major threats facing this population’s survival. OSA is committed to working together to ensure the Southern Residents are able to thrive throughout their range”.
Orca Salmon Alliance was founded in 2015 to prevent the extinction of the Southern Resident orcas by recovering the wild Chinook salmon populations upon which the whales depend for their survival. OSA members include Orca Network, Defenders of Wildlife, Save Our Wild Salmon, Washington Environmental Council, Oceana, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Earthjustice, Endangered Species Coalition, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Puget Soundkeeper, Center for Biological Diversity, Seattle Aquarium, Whale Scout, Toxic Free Future, Friends of the San Juans, and Wild Orca.
Orca Salmon Alliance mourns loss of J17, K25, L84
The 17-member coalition urges public to hold on to hope and all stakeholders to redouble meaningful, comprehensive, urgent and unified response efforts to save population
August 9, 2019
Contacts:
Cindy Hansen, Orca Network, 360-223-5666
Colleen Weiler, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, 810-813-1643
Katie Kirking, Orca Salmon Alliance, 509-999-8632
Sophia Ressler, Center for Biological Diversity, 206-399-4004
Seattle, Washington – Today, the Orca Salmon Alliance (OSA), along with all those who love the Southern Resident orcas, mourns the presumed passing of three beloved individuals: J17 (Princess Angeline); K25 (Scoter); and L84 (Nyssa). The Southern Resident population now stands at a shockingly low 73 members – just two higher than the population’s lowest recorded point of 71 following the live captures in the 1960s and 1970s.
“For many, the individual members of J, K, and L pods and their stories resonate in extremely impactful and personal ways,” said Katie Kirking of the Orca Salmon Alliance. “My family just lost our matriarch and we’re reeling, but to lose a matriarch in the Southern Resident population is not only devastating from a familial standpoint, it is devastating to the culture, knowledge, and even health of a matriline. J17 (Princess Angeline) was a beloved matriarch. The world was able to see her ferocious devotion to her fanily on display last year as Princess Angeline supported her daughter, Tahlequah, during the 17 days she carried her deceased calf. Now she is gone, a family group is without its matriarch, and Tahlequah has lost both her mother and her calf.”
“Losing L84 (Nyssa) came as a shock to many,” said Cindy Hansen of Orca Network. “Nyssa was part of what was once an amazing family group consisting of 11 individuals. His story was so touching to many of us. At a young age he tried to keep his infant sibling alive when their mother died, and then later adopted a surrogate mother after the rest of his family was gone. With the loss of Nyssa, the L9 matriline is now extinct. We must fight to make certain the entire Southern Resident population does not meet the same fate.”
“Sadly K25 (Scoter) has not been doing well since the death of his mother in 2017. We know that orca mothers are extremely important to the survival and well-being of their families, and research has shown that adult males are especially affected after the death of their mothers. We’re very sad to see K25 continue in this heartbreaking trend,” said Colleen Weiler of Whale and Dolphin Conservation. “The death of this young male orca makes us all concerned for J17’s son, who is now without his mother too.”
During the months the Southern Residents typically would be seen daily, J and K pods have only been in their core habitat for two days in June, July, and the first part of August. Meanwhile, L pod has not been seen in inland waters since January 11th. While researchers reported the orcas to be in better body condition than they had at this time last year, which suggests they are finding food on the coast, there is extreme concern with the lack of prey availability in their core summer range—their cultural home.
“We need a united focus on prey abundance throughout the Southern Residents’ range, including a hard look at the Fraser River as well as those in Western Washington such as the Skagit and Duwamish, and how we can increase abundance in the near and long term to allow this population to survive in their core habitat and societal home waters,” said Sophia Ressler of the Center for Biological Diversity.
“The orcas, despite heartbreaking losses, are clearly still fighting. We’ve had two successful births this year and an orca population that has shifted its deeply engrained seasonal patterns in order to find food. It’s time for stakeholders to set aside differences and address the major threats facing this population’s survival. OSA is committed to working together to ensure the Southern Residents are able to thrive throughout their range”.
Orca Salmon Alliance was founded in 2015 to prevent the extinction of the Southern Resident orcas by recovering the wild Chinook salmon populations upon which the whales depend for their survival. OSA members include Orca Network, Defenders of Wildlife, Save Our Wild Salmon, Washington Environmental Council, Oceana, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Earthjustice, Endangered Species Coalition, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Puget Soundkeeper, Center for Biological Diversity, Seattle Aquarium, Whale Scout, Toxic Free Future, Friends of the San Juans, and Wild Orca.
L84 (Nyssa) capturing a salmon - image Center for Whale Research under NMFS Permit #15569