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It’s An Orca Parade
caitlin o’brien photo
Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) are ever-present
in the San Juan Islands.
THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS ARE home to
all things wonderful, and none more
delightful than the resident populations
of orcas. Often referred to as the Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) this
group of whales represents the smallest
of four resident communities in the Pacific Northwest. Ironically, these whales
are currently listed as endangered by
the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. According to the Center for Whale Research
there are approximately 84 individual
orcas that make up this population that
are commonly found in the San Juan Islands, including the world’s oldest killer
whale, Granny. Identified as a member
24
explore:NW | The Official Magazine of kenmore air | Spring 2016
of the J pod, she is also referred to as
J2 and she is estimated to be 105 years
old having been born in 1911. Of the 84
orcas that make up the SRKW’s population there are three populations: J, K
and L. There are 36 identified whales in
the L population, 29 in the J population
and 19 in the K population.
The SRKW travel upwards of 75 miles
a day and can be seen throughout the
islands. The J pod is the most resident
population and is usually seen yearround. The K and L pods will venture
farther off shore to hunt for migrating
schools of salmon. This is where a
guided whale watching tour comes into
play. And there are plenty of companies
that offer whale watching tours from
boats. But for those who want to spot
whales from land, the best option is
Lime Kiln Point State Park, also known
as Whale Watch Park. Whales in the
islands are a major attraction and the
Center for Whale Research, a non-profit
that is found on San Juan Island, keeps
tabs on current sightings. It’s recommended that you stop in and inquire
where the most recent sightings have
occurred.
Whales can be seen year-round but
the peak months are in the summer
when salmon are most prevalent.