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Research done by the Center for Whale Research
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This page is dedicated to the Southern Resident individuals who have died without definite family ties or pod identification. They do not include individuals who died during the captures
NOTE ON AGES: Some ages, namely those for individuals who died during capture, have been calculated based on a calculated growth rate from captive Pacific killer whales of 38cm/yr until ages 12-16 in males and 9-12 in females (see sources for further info). Thus, if the length was > 6.9m, the individual was likely older than 12-16 at the time of death. If the length was <6.9m, age was calculated as: (length - 2.4)/0.38
Number of Individuals: 13 (0 living; 13 deceased-2 female, 6 male, 5 unknown gender)
NO# (<1910) (Unknown; ?-<1910(?))
Dry mandible and tooth collected from Point Hope on the Aleutian Islands. Specimen is from before 1910 and is listed as a Southern Resident and is held at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, Washington
NO# (1900s) (Male; ?-<1918 (~7?))
Was shot and killed sometime in the early 1900s (exact date is unknown) in Willapa Bay, Washington. By 1918, the skeleton had been articulated and in 1987, it was given to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, Washington. DNA analysis revealed that they were a SRKW. Was 5.03m (16.5ft) long and ~7 years old, based on length
NO# (1944) (Female; 1944-1944 (<1))
Was found stranded on September 28, 1944 at Cherry Point, Washington. Lungs were not inflated, indicating that it was a stillborn calf. Was 2.46 m (~8ft) long
NO# (1976) (Male; 1976-1976 (<1); K or L Pod?)
Was found stranded in May 9, 1976 on Long Beach, BC. Was 2.50 m (~8.2 ft) long. It is unknown if he was a stillborn calf or if he had died after birth
NO# (1976) (Male; 1976-1976 (<1); K or L Pod?)
Was found stranded in November 5, 1976 on Radar Beach, BC. Was 2.50 m (~7.4 ft) long. It is unknown if he was a stillborn calf or if he had died after birth
NO# (1978) (Male; 1978-1978 (<1))
Was found stranded in March 31, 1978 in Oyster Bay, WA. Was 2.25 m (~7.4 ft) long
NO# (1981) (Unknown; ~1972? -1981 (~9?)
Was found stranded on August 14, 1981 on Lummi Island, WA. Was 5.80m (~19 ft) long. It is unknown their exact age, but it was estimated to be between 3 and 11. I estimate them to be ~9 years old, but this is far from an official statement of fact
NO# (1986) (Unknown; 1986-1986 (<1))
Was found on October 7, 1986
NO# (1983) (Female; 1983-1983 (<1); J or K Pod?)
Was found stranded on November 15, 1983, in Seattle, WA. Was 2.18 m (~7.2 ft) long
NO# (1991) (Unknown; 1991-1991 (<1))
Was found stranded on May 15, 1991, in Esquimalt, BC. It is unknown if they were a stillborn calf or if they had died after birth
NO# (1991) (Unknown; 1991-1991 (<1))
Was found stranded on May 26, 1991, in Clallam Bay, WA. It is unknown if they were a stillborn calf or if they had died after birth
NO# (1998) (Male; 1998-1998 (<1); J Pod?)
Was found stranded in November, 1998, in BC. It is unknown if he was a stillborn calf or if he had died after birth
NO# (1999) (Male; 1999-1999 (<1); J Pod?)
Was found stranded in February, 1999, in Greenbank, Whidby Island, WA. Was 2.20m (~7.2 ft) long. It is unknown if he was a stillborn calf or if he had died after birth
Photo Credit: Emma Luck
NO# (1900s)
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