Skip to main content
The Whale Sanctuary Project | Back to Nature
  • About
  • The Sanctuary
  • Whale Aid
  • The Whales
  • Deeper Dive
  • Blog
  • Events

Donate  Subscribe

  • About
  • The Sanctuary
  • Whale Aid
  • The Whales
  • Deeper Dive
  • Blog
  • Events

Whale Sanctuary Project Joins Rescue Effort for Orca J-50

Posted August 7, 2018 in News by Michael Mountain

The Whale Sanctuary Project has joined an emergency effort in the Pacific Northwest to try to save the life of the orca J-50, also known as Scarlett. The four-year-old whale is emaciated and starving, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has decided to work with several local organizations to help her.

Jeff Foster and Katy Laveck Foster, Pacific Northwest site selection coordinators for the Whale Sanctuary Project, are coordinating much of the field work, working hand-in-hand with veterinarians, researchers, and other organizations to conduct the health assessment of J-50, and to develop the protocols for delivering live fish to her, along with medication if that becomes necessary. Katy is also providing photo and video documentation for the NOAA team effort.

Aboard a NOAA vessel, observing Scarlett, are Jeff Foster of the Whale Sanctuary Project (in front), and Dr. Brad Hanson of NOAA, Dr. Deborah Giles of Friday Harbor Labs (Univ. of Washington), and wildlife conservationist Collette Yee. Photo by Katy Foster/WSP/for NOAA.

Over recent weeks, Scarlett has lost about 20 percent of her body weight and it appears that her life is in the balance. She is so thin that she has “peanut head,” meaning that the back of her cranium is visible. A white patch that’s been spotted near her blowhole could be a sign of an infection.

She is a member of the J pod, one of three extended orca families known as the Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW). Their numbers have been dwindling due to lack of their only food source, Chinook salmon, along with ever-increasing environmental pollution and boat noise. The SRKW are now listed as an endangered species, and only 75 remain.

Scarlett (J-50), left, with her big sister Echo (J-42). The indent around her neck indicates the condition known as “peanut head.” Photo by Katy Foster/WSP/for NOAA.

As a young female, Scarlett is one of few among the J pod who represent the next generation of whales. (Two weeks ago, another of their family, Tahlequah/J-35, gave birth to a baby daughter, but the infant only survived for half an hour. Since then, Tahlequah has been carrying the body of her infant as she and the family continue their daily search for food.)

“The situation facing the Southern Resident population is dire, and every member of J, K and L pods is important,” said Charles Vinick, Executive Director of the Whale Sanctuary Project. “Our team has expertise in the effort to assess J-50’s health and to provide help to her at this critical time. It is something we must do and as much as we are committed to improving the welfare of captive whales, we must also do all we can to help wild whales.”

The relief effort for Scarlett, which began on August 3rd, involves acquiring health assessment data through breath and fecal cultures, providing supplemental food, and, if data indicates that medication may be warranted, providing medication through the supplemental food.

Time is of the essence and plans to locate Scarlett and her family have been thwarted by fog over the Salish Sea.

Members of the Lummi Nation have been rehearsing what it will take to deliver live fish to Scarlett. Jay Julius, chairman of the Lummi Nation, and other tribal leaders collected salmon from a local hatchery and took them to one of the locations that members of the team hope the pod will visit in the next few days.

“Everything has to fall into place,” Julius told Lynda Mapes of the Seattle Times aboard their boat, the Lengesot. “We need lots of prayer and optimism and belief. Everything has to align. We are going to give it our all. And we are ready. Now it is time to pray, pray, pray.”

5 Comments

  • lynn untalan says:
    August 8, 2018 at 1:48 PM

    I am doing nothing but praying for this baby girl, just hang on girl. One thing I would like to know is if there is a way to pen her to monitor her on 24hour basis, much like Springer when they brought her back to Canadaian waters, but pen her to the point where mom would still be around to interact with her.
    I believe that as intelligent as they are, mom might realize that she is in no danger and that they are only there to help

    Reply
  • L. Payne says:
    August 8, 2018 at 2:14 AM

    Taking what Jay Julius says to heart: now is the time to pray, pray, pray, Erything must align *now*, not later.

    And we need our leaders to step up and do more than give lip service to these critically endangered animals, to deal with the situation that brought them to this point.

    Reply
  • Petra Currie says:
    August 8, 2018 at 1:41 AM

    Until Russia captures them and sells them to China … we struggle to save them while others steal them… we need firm global laws. The oceans are global not owned by one country…

    Reply
    • Anonymous says:
      August 9, 2018 at 9:53 PM

      Whatt? Apparently you don’t know maritime law or the SRKWs.

      Reply
  • Sharon wenham says:
    August 7, 2018 at 4:27 PM

    I pray that you can help scarlet and the pod, but this is a short term fix we also have to look long term about how we keep this pod alive and free. And its important that we do

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Also on the Blog

  • Canada Bans Captivity of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises
  • Orca Brains and Intelligence
  • A Deep Dive into Environmental Analysis
  • TEDx Talk “Whales Without Walls” by Charles Vinick
  • Whale Aid Russia

Live Series of Webinars

What is an authentic sanctuary?
Latest discoveries about beluga whale societies
The psychology of captivity.
Free Willy and the legacy of Keiko.
… and many more.

A series of engaging conversations >

Join Us

Subscribe for Latest News

Make a donation

Get email updates

Subscribe

Follow Us

Help create the sanctuary

Make a donation
  • Privacy Policy |
  • Terms and Conditions of Use |
  • Contact Us |
  • UX Design by Dialogue Theory

© 2023 The Whale Sanctuary Project. All Rights Reserved.