The Southern Residents are three pods (named J, K & L pods) of fish eating ‘resident’ orca (Orcinus orca) here on the BC coast. They are deemed a separate sub-species of orca and are on the endangered species lists of both Canada and the US. Back in early December close to home here on Vancouver Island, many of us were saddened by the discovery of a young adult member of J pod, which was pregnant, found dead floating close to shore. The death of this female reduced the population of this community to just 77 animals. Some joy for this population did follow a little later in the month – a newborn female calf was spotted following closely in her mum’s wake just before Christmas. However, scientists (ever the optimists) do not consider it a successful birth until the new calf reaches one year old! We wish them well.
