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Researchers: Missing whales feared dead (amber alert)
Associated Press ^ | 10/18/06

Posted on 10/18/2006 6:14:49 AM PDT by presidio9

Three young adult killer whales — members of the family groups that spend their summers chasing salmon around Washington's San Juan Islands — have not been seen in weeks and are feared dead, researchers said Tuesday.

One of the orcas leaves a 4-month-old orphan, whose care apparently has been taken over by another female.

The three salmon-eating orca families that frequent the state's inland waters are J, K and L pods. J-pod spends virtually the entire year in the waters north of Puget Sound, while the other two groups head out to the open ocean in winter.

The pods, called the southern resident population, are unique in diet, language and DNA, and were declared an endangered species last year, with a recovery goal of 120 animals. If the three missing whales have died, the three pods will total 87 orcas, with just 23 reproductive females.

The missing mother, K-28, is from K-pod, said Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, a research assistant at the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor, which tracks the pods and maintains photo-identification records of each animal.

A photo of K-28 taken Sept. 1 shows a dip behind her blowhole, which indicates illness or malnutrition, he said. The 12-year-old female may also have had difficulties related to the birth.

K-28 has not been seen since, though researchers have had other encounters with the group and have seen her calf swimming close to other family members. Her baby, K-39, likely is being cared for by an older female, K-41, Balcomb-Bartok said.

Orcas are not fully weaned until about age 2, and researchers worry the calf, described as "healthy and precocious," may not survive the winter.

The two other missing orcas are from L-pod: L-43, 34-year-old mother of three last seen Sept. 2; and L-71, a 20-year-old male last seen July 15 despite 25 encounters with L-pod.

"We've spent weeks searching for these individuals, we've spent weeks waiting," Balcomb-Bartok said.

Since the two pods leave the state's sheltered waters for much of the year, "Our concern is the coast — what's out there?" he said. "Are there salmon runs they used to rely on that are reduced dramatically? ... Maybe in some areas they either are no longer available or they're in such short supply they're not sustaining the population."

Many of the region's salmon runs also are listed as endangered or threatened, their numbers down to about 10 percent of historical highs.

While orca calf survival rates have been problematic for years, "losing adults is cause for concern," Balcomb-Bartok said. He noted an earlier death to illustrate the risks: "When J-18 washed up off Vancouver Island several years ago he was sterile and a high level of toxins had eaten their way through his system."

Whale experts worry about the effects of pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs — an industrial product banned since the 1970s but persistent in the environment — and fire-retardant polybrominated diphenyl ethers, which are still produced.

"All those big boys," Balcomb-Bartok said. "Things that are insidious in the environment as a whole."

Federal action in response to the orca's endangered listing is still being decided. The National Marine Fisheries Service has proposed declaring as critical habitat virtually all the state's inland waters, except shorelines where water is less than 20 feet deep and areas near military installations.

Developers and agricultural interests have already challenged the draft proposal in federal court, contending the whales are part of a larger healthy population and do not warrant special protections — a stance initially taken by NMFS but reversed by a federal judge whose ruling led to the current listing.

___


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: amberalert; nukethegaywhales; whotfcares
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1 posted on 10/18/2006 6:14:50 AM PDT by presidio9
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To: presidio9

Check your I-Pods.


2 posted on 10/18/2006 6:17:41 AM PDT by battlegearboat
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To: presidio9
It looka like a Japanese boat...uh, yeah...
3 posted on 10/18/2006 6:17:43 AM PDT by kinoxi
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To: presidio9

One of the missing orcas has been seen swimming in the vicinity of the Chappaquiddick bridge.


4 posted on 10/18/2006 6:20:56 AM PDT by Fresh Wind (Democrats are guilty of whatever they scream the loudest about.)
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Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: Fresh Wind

Something has got to be done about these Orcas preying defensless salmon. TGiven Their size it is truly unfair and disproportionate. We need to change the rules of engagement so that the salmon at least have a chance. Maybe the UN could set up a food for salmon program.


6 posted on 10/18/2006 6:24:22 AM PDT by baraboolaw
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To: presidio9

amber alert? really good one!............double pun!...........


7 posted on 10/18/2006 6:25:05 AM PDT by Red Badger (CONGRESS NEEDS TO BE DE-FOLEY-ATED...............................)
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To: presidio9

They're killer whales, fer cryin' out loud. Why are they out of jail anyway? You know they can't be rehabilitated...


8 posted on 10/18/2006 6:26:30 AM PDT by Hegemony Cricket (Expect a lot of democrat poll-smoking between now and 11/7)
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To: presidio9

.....We've spent weeks searching for these individuals.....

Perhaps it's time to get a real job.


9 posted on 10/18/2006 6:26:51 AM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. Slay Pinch)
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To: FrPR

Oh, now THAT's funny! LOL!


10 posted on 10/18/2006 6:27:47 AM PDT by Hegemony Cricket (Expect a lot of democrat poll-smoking between now and 11/7)
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Comment #11 Removed by Moderator

To: presidio9

"Ambergris" alert.


12 posted on 10/18/2006 6:29:12 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
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To: presidio9

Shouldn't this be "Ambergris alert?"


13 posted on 10/18/2006 6:29:39 AM PDT by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
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To: bert

I thought whales were gay.


14 posted on 10/18/2006 6:30:09 AM PDT by battlegearboat
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To: Baynative

Thanks for the beautiful pictures. :) "I" appreciate them a lot.


15 posted on 10/18/2006 6:31:57 AM PDT by Texas_shutterbug
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To: presidio9

Save the Whales! Keep it up until you have the whole set.


16 posted on 10/18/2006 6:39:36 AM PDT by NaughtiusMaximus (Bush Assassination Flick. Save your liberal friends a few bucks: the black guy in the tux dunnit.)
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To: presidio9

How long has Rosie O been missing?


17 posted on 10/18/2006 6:40:04 AM PDT by Piquaboy (22 year veteran of the Army, Air Force and Navy, Pray for all our military .)
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To: presidio9
FWIW - Orcas are dolphins and not whales.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

18 posted on 10/18/2006 6:41:35 AM PDT by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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To: NaughtiusMaximus

If you are going to steal lines from other FReepers, you need to ping them in.


19 posted on 10/18/2006 6:42:25 AM PDT by presidio9 (Make Mohammed's day: Shoot a nun in the back.)
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To: presidio9

Burp. Oh. Darn. Thought that was tuna salad.


20 posted on 10/18/2006 7:26:23 AM PDT by rusty millet
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