Oldest male Southern Resident Killer Whale feared dead

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A late afternoon January sky back-lit the fanning blows, as researchers scanned the horizon hoping to see L-41. But as his sisters and nieces played, the oldest male Southern Resident Killer Whale was still nowhere to be seen after months of searching.

Now, the researchers who have been following the 43-year-old since he was just one year old, fear L-41, also known as “Mega,” may be dead.

He is the oldest and largest male among the Southern Residents and father to more than half of all DNA profiled Southern Resident Killer Whales since 1990.

According to the latest status report from the Centre for Whale Research in Washington State, L-41 has not been seen since Aug. 11 when he was photographed by Victoria’s Mark Malleson.

He normally travels with his sisters, Matia (L-77) and Calypso (L-94) and is caring toward his two nieces; Joy (L-119) and Cousteau (L-119), and two nephews Windsong (L-121) and Whistle (L-124). His online profile says he also had close bonds with with Ocean Sun (L-25) and Mystery (L-85).

If L-41 is dead, it brings the dwindling and endangered population of these orcas to just 72.

L-25, the oldest female resident whale, was present on December 20th, but no Mega. Her online profile says “Ocean Sun (c. 1928) has outlived her immediate family. She spends most of her time with Mega (L-41) and his sisters. She is now the oldest living whale in the Southern Resident Community.”

The non-profit organization Orca Network lists L-41 as the most recent of 78 resident orcas to go missing or die since 1998.

Scientists say rapidly declining stocks of Chinook salmon, the whale’s single source of food, is a major threat to their existence.

They are also facing increased marine traffic through the Juan de Fuca and Georgia straits.

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