Endangered orca 'grandmother' missing, likely dead
Researchers at the Washington state-based Center for Whale Research say that a prolific southern resident killer whale (SRKW) matriarch is missing, and is assumed to have died.
The orca, L47, was roughly 47 years old and has three surviving children and two grandchildren.
L47 was last seen on Feb. 27, "where she did not appear to be in particularly poor condition," according to the Center for Whale Research.
However, she has not been spotted since.
"She was subsequently missing from surveys conducted by our colleagues at Fisheries and Oceans Canada conducted in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca in the early summer months," said the centre in a release Monday.
In September, researchers with the centre spotted members of L47's family six times – including encounters with her children and grandchildren – but L47 herself was never seen.
"Her repeated absence meets our criteria for declaring a whale missing and likely deceased," said the centre.
L47's offspring
L47 was born in 1974 and went on to have seven calves who lived long enough to be named, "the most of any Southern Resident," said the centre.
However, four of the seven calves did not survive their first year.
Of the three surviving calves, one is a young male, L115, and two are adult females, L83 and L91.
Both L83 and L91 have given birth to sons, L110 and L122.
Researchers say the loss of L47 could have rippling affects for the endangered southern resident killer whale population and her family line.
"Center for Whale Research data shows that older, post-reproductive females hold key leadership roles in this society, particularly when food is scarce," said the centre.
Researchers say that L47's son is now three times more likely to die within the next two years compared to a male of the same age that has a mother, and L47's two grandchildren "have an approximately six-fold increase in their risk of death in the next two years," assuming salmon populations are close to the seasonal average.
"With lower salmon abundance, this risk increases," said the center.
The centre adds that southern resident K21, who was seen to be in poor health earlier this summer, is now confirmed to be dead.
As of Monday, the southern resident killer whale population is believed to be down to 73 individuals, down from 74 at the beginning of July.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.