Another orca whale in Washington's endangered southern resident pods is presumed dead
Washington's whale watchers are mourning the loss of the second southern resident orca whale this summer.
L47 — also known as "Marina" — was last seen in the Swanson Channel in February and has not been encountered since, leading the Center for Whale Research (CWR) to declare her likely deceased on Monday. She has not been seen with her offspring or grandoffspring in any encounters with researchers over the summer.
Born in 1974, the grandmother whale was one of the most prolific females, producing seven viable calves, the most of any resident whale. However, four of her calves did not survive past their first year. Many of her offspring are at an increased risk of death in the coming years if the state's salmon populations remain depleted.
With the pods noticeably absent from the Salish Sea for much of the summer due to lack of food, researchers say the death of L47 could have larger implications on the whale's social structure.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/another-orca-whale-in-washington-s-endangered-southern-resident-pods-is-presumed-dead/ar-AAOFLva
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