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Grandma J2’s Birthday Party

Posted July 13, 2011 in Learn More by Michael Mountain

(Fourth in the series Superpod One – Where It All Began)
On July 2nd, Grandma J2 celebrated her 100th birthday. They held a party in her honor on San Juan Island, off the coast of Seattle.

So, how do they know she’d just turned 100? That’s one of the questions on my list for Ken Balcomb. Ken is Founder and Principal Investigator at the Center for Whale Research and one of several orca experts who are getting together this week.

We’ll be learning as much as possible from these great folks, and hoping to see some of the orcas as they pass by the center on one of their fishing expeditions most afternoons. (Keep your fins crossed that they’re hanging out there this week. It all depends on where the fish are.)

One of the people locally who study orcas sent an e-mail last week with some of the latest news about the three Southern Resident pods:

L pod and the rest of K pod came in yesterday. Now all three pods are all here and the superpod antics have been amazing. Apparently all 88 are present and accounted for.

And there’s a new baby in the past few days, K44.

There should be some excellent orca action out there next week, unless they run out of Chinook salmon and have to head back out.

We had a great 100th birthday party for J2 at the lighthouse and at the Center last weekend. Actually played some volleyball for the first time there in over ten years. Are you all ready for some volleyball?

 

 

Yes, indeed! Tomorrow, we head out to the islands.

Table of Contents

Superpod One – Where it All Began
In the summer of 2011, a group of scientists, journalists and former orca trainers met up on San Juan Island. Their week together would eventually lead to the formation of the Whale Sanctuary Project.

Off to the Island
On the ferry to San Juan Island everyone crowds onto the top deck for glimpses of dolphins, harbor seals, eagles and other animals.

First Sighting
At the Center for Whale Research, we see dorsal fins popping out of the water … just a second or two as the orcas come up for air.

Grandma J2’s Birthday Party
Grandma J2 has celebrated her 100th birthday. San Juan Island held a party in her honor. But how do they know she’d just turned 100?

T Is for Transient
As well as the “resident” pods, who spend most of their time around the islands, there are “transient” pods whose lifestyle is quite different.

Luna: the Orca Who Wanted to Be Friends
Orcas need each other’s company. So, when Luna got separated from his family, he started making friends with humans on their boats in Nootka Sound.

Out on the Ocean, Surrounded by Orcas
We’re headed out toward the open sound, and our captain is confident we’re going to see some orcas.

Orcas at the Other End of the World
The orcas line up and create a wave that will lift one side of the ice floe and tip the seal into the water.

Orca Dinner Party
The whales need 200 pounds of food every day, and Chinook salmon is the only food that the resident orcas will eat.

Super-Intelligence
Whichever way you look at orca brains, you have to conclude that these guys are super-intelligent.

Custody Battle Over a Captive Orca
An unseemly custody battle is going on between SeaWorld and Marineland over orca Ikaika, whom SeaWorld has “loaned” them.

We’ll Meet Again . . .
The group needs a name. I suggest “Superpod” in honor of what we’ve seen and shared this week. It’s agreed … and it’s just a beginning

Also on the Blog

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  • Orca Brains and Intelligence
  • A Deep Dive into Environmental Analysis
  • TEDx Talk “Whales Without Walls” by Charles Vinick
  • Whale Aid Russia

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