Researchers monitoring pregnant and ailing Southern Resident orcas
At this point they aren't sure if it's a parasite or grief, but they know that three orcas are pregnant
Weeks after an ailing southern resident killer whale went missing, there's more changes in the water for the area's resident orca pods.
The bad news is that some of it is illness: the health of K25, a 27-year-old orca, is believed to be in decline. Aerial photos show the adult whale to be considerably thinner in September 2018 than in recent years.
A news release by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the agency isn't sure what's causing the weight loss; when 4-year-old J50 was sick, signs pointed to a parasite, but researchers posit that it may be the recent loss of K25's mother, K13.
"This change coincides with the loss of his mother, K13 in 2017, and likely reflects the challenges he faces without her help in capturing and sharing prey," the release said.
The release explained that "Males rely on help from their mothers, and other family members, to meet their increased energy demands, and long-term demographic monitoring has shown that adult males have an increased mortality risk following their mother's death, highlighting K25's current vulnerability."
Scientists from NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center plan to keep monitoring the situation as there is some happy news in the K-pod as well: K27 (K25's sister) appears to be pregnant. And she's not the only one.
SEE ALSO: Endangered species in Washington
NOAA says that K27 and a "number of other females in all three pods (J, K and L)" have shown signs of pregnancy, based on aerial photography. Whales, like humans, carry their baby weight right below the ribcage, meaning researchers can observe the pregnancy fairly easily without needing to get too close (a challenge in the treatment of J50).
Researchers are cautiously optimistic about the pregnancies, given the current high rate of reproductive failure within the southern resident population, including K27.
The southern resident population recently dipped to just 74, a 30-year low for the whales who have been on the endangered species list since 2005. In the last several months alone, three young whales have passed away; L92 and J35's calf, as well as J50, who has been presumed dead after going missing earlier in September.
NOAA plans to enlist the Center for Whale Research to help monitor the ongoing health and success of these pregnancies.
It's just one factor in the ongoing attempts to help the Southern Residents, who face many challenges including scarce salmon prey, vessel traffic and noise, and environmental contaminants.
While Gov. Jay Inslee has some plans as to how to remedy these areas of concern, in the meantime NOAA is asking boaters keep clear of the orcas and go slow to reduce noise to help them forge for food.