Keep Clear Of Pregnant Orcas, Warn Experts

OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is celebrating after discovering three pregnant Southern Resident killer whales, but at the same time is asking boaters to give the orcas their space.

Researchers with WDFW and NOAA Fisheries report that all three pregnancies are among the J-pod. The J-pod is the second largest of three orca pods, accounting for 24 of the 72 surviving Southern Resident killer whales.

While it's exciting that the endangered whales could see a crop of new young calves, it's also a stressful time for the mothers: Orcas only give birth to a few calves in their lifetimes, and the Southern Residents in particular have a high rate of failed pregnancies, with nearly 70 percent ending in miscarriages or death shortly after birth.

"Last year, we documented a number of other pregnant females, who were not successful in rearing calves," said Dr. John Durban. "Unfortunately, this is not unusual, and we have documented a high rate of reproductive failure over the last decade. The survival of every calf is crucial to the endurance of this small and endangered population - every calf matters.”

Right now the Southern Residents face three main threats: food shortages, chemical contaminants in their water and food, and boat noises that interrupt their communication and hunting. While efforts are underway to restore the Chinook salmon population that the orcas rely on for food, the WDFW is asking boaters to help address noise concerns by keeping away from the orcas and slowing down if they're nearby.

“We need to work together to give these pregnant whales every chance of success,” said Scott Rumsey, Deputy Regional Administrator for NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region. “The more they can forage undisturbed, the better their odds of contributing to the population.”

Orca pregnancies take a year and a half, and during the final month the mothers will need to eat about 25 percent more food. All the more reason, researchers say, to give them the extra edge they need while hunting.

"We've got many people looking at the science to understand where we can continue to improve the odds for this population,” said Kelly Susewind, WDFW Director. "Now that we've learned of multiple pregnancies among the Southern Residents and the impact that boats can have on new mothers, we really need everyone to follow Be Whale Wise regulations in support of these endangered whales’ survival.”

Under the WDFW's "Be Whale Wise" regulations, vessels have to stay at least 300 yards away on either side of the whales, and 400 yards away in front or behind the orcas. Those vessels also have to cut their speed to seven knots within a half wile of the Southern Residents.

The regulations apply to vessels of all sizes, from kayaks to state ferries. They also ask that everyone avoid fishing within 1,000 meters of the whales, to avoid getting between the whales and the shoreline. Whale Warning Flags can also be used to indicate that whales are nearby, and that vessels need to slow down or change course.

If boaters can follow those regulations, environmentalists say they're cautiously optimistic that these pregnancies will go smoothly.

"This is reminiscent of another adult female in J pod, J35 (Tahlequah), who we documented to be pregnant in summer 2020 and subsequently monitored her successful pregnancy two months later,” said Dr. Holly Fearnbach from SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation and Research (SR3). “We hope we can document similar success for this year's group of pregnant females."

J35 gave birth to her son, J57, in summer 2020. His arrival was celebrated by researchers not just as a positive sign for the struggling Southern Resident killer whale population, but as the end to a long, sad saga— two years prior his mother, J35, had made national headlines after she carried her dead calf for 17 straight days, traveling more than 1,000 miles holding her dead child.