Naturalist's Family Tree Guide to

Orca Whales of the Southern Resident Community

2012 Fall Edition
Produced by the Center for Whale Research, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
David Ellifrit, Erin Heydenreich and Kenneth C. Balcomb III

J-Pod

Page 1

1 of 3

This Id guide is intended for field identification purposes

only. For any derivative demographic analysis, publication,

or use in any form please contact CWR for written
permission. On this and the following pages are photos
of the known living members of J pod, K pod, and L pod .
Shaded markers (tombstones) note whales that have died
since Orca Survey began in 1976, or earlier in some cases.
Probable sex noted for some whales not previously sexed.
Dotted lines indicate possible family lines. Dashed lines
indicate probable family lines. Solid lines indicate known
relationship from birth.

J6

male
est.1956-1998

J1

J8 female

born 1933 (est.)

male
est 1951-2010
Longest lived male known
among the
Southern Residents

J2 female

born 1911 (est.)

Key
Possible family lines
Probable family lines
Definite family lines

J12

female
est.1935-1996

J24

?
1972-1972c

J14 female

born 1974

J23

male
1987-1991

Lines next to fins indicate nicks.

unk. = unknown sex.
est. = estimated birth year.
c. = died during capture.

J30

J43

male
1995-2012

?
2007-2007

born 2001

J37 female

born 2012

J49male

born 2004

J40 female

born 2009

J45 male

2012, Center for Whale Research

J-Pod

Page 2

2 of 3

J4

female
est.1957-1995

J11

female
est. 1972-2008

J15

J21

male
1976-1981

?
1982-1983

J19

born 1979

female

J29

male
1993-1993

J41 female

born 2005

J25

?
1988-1988

J27 male

born 1991

J31 female

born 1995

J39 male

born 2003

J7

female
est.1939-1983

J3

male
est.1953-1995

born 1972 (est.)

born 1991

born 1999

J26 male
J33

male
1996-2010

J16 female

J36 female

born 2007

J42 female
J48

unk
2011-2011

2012, Center for Whale Research

J-Pod

Page 3

3 of 3

J9

female
est.1917-1985

J10

female
est.1962-1999

J20

J18

female
1981-1998

male
1977-2000

born 1985

J5

born 1996

female
est.1938-1997

born 1998

J13

J22

female

J32 female

J34

male

born 2003

J38 male

born 2009

J44 male

female
est.1971-1980

J17 female

born 1977

born 1993

J28 female

born 1998

J35 female

born 2009
"Star"

J46 female

born 2010
"Looker"

J47 male
2012, Center for Whale Research

K-Pod

Page 4

1 of 3

K7

female
est.1910-2008

K1

K2

male
est.1955-1997

male
est.1953-1974

K11

K30

female
est.1929-1982

female
1933-2010

K19

male
est.1953-1984

born 1972 (est.)

K25 male

born 1991

born 1986

K20 female

K13 female

born 1994

K27 female

born 2011
"Flasher"

K44 male

born 2001

K34 male

born 2004

born 2004

K38

male

2012, Center for Whale Research

K-Pod

Page 5

2 of 3

K4

female
est.1933-1999

born 1972 (est.)

K28

female
1994-2006

K12

female

K31

male
1999-2005

K39

?
2006-2006

born 1987

K22 female

K37 male

born 2003

born 2010
"Speedy"

K43 female

K41

?
2006-2006

K18

born 2001

female
est.1948-2004

K33 male

K17

male
est.1966-1994

K46

?
1974-1981

K40

female
est.1963-2012

born 1986

K21 male

2012, Center for Whale Research

K-Pod

Page 6

3 of 3

K8

female
est.1930-1989

K3

female
est.1957-1998

K15

K5

male
est.1953-1991

K29

?
est.1971-1975

male
1996-1998

born 1985

K16 female

born 2002

K35 male

K32

?
2000-2000

born 1977

born 1993

K23

?
1988-1988

K14 female

K26 male

born 2003

K36 female

born 2008

K42 male

K24

?
1990-1990

2012, Center for Whale Research

L-Pod

Page 7

1 of 6

L28

female
est.1949-1994

L32

female
est.1955-2005

L38

male
est. 1965-1998

L69

?
1984-1985

L85 male

born 1991

L44

male
1974-1998

L56

L63

?
1978-1981

male
1984-1995

L22 female

born 1971 (est.)

L87 male
L87 has been traveling with J pod since 2010 and
with K pod from 2005 to 2009 after L32 died.
born 1992

L75

female
1986-1993

L79 male

born 1989

L89 male

born 1993

Dorsal fin
Blowhole
Melon

Caudal
peduncle

Saddle
patch

Eyepatch

Rostrum

Fluke

Eye

Genital slit

Anus

Pectoral fin
Artwork by Kelley Balcomb-Bartok

2012, Center for Whale Research

L-Pod

Page 8

2 of 6

L12

female
est.1933-2012

L11

female
est.1957-2000

L25 female

born 1928 (est.)

L23

female
est.1952-1982

L10

male
est.1959-1997

L14

male
est.1972-1989

L42

born 1995

L77 female

born 1987

L41 male

born 1977

L49

?
1979-1980

L94 female

L64

male
est.1973-1994

?
1985-1985

L114

?
2010-2010

born 2009
"Molly"

born 2012

L119

L113

female

female

L6

born 1960 (est.)

L67

L39

L78

female
1985-2008

male
1975-2000

L98

male
1999-2006
"Luna"
In Nootka Sound
from ~ July 2001 until his
death Mar. 10, 2006

L2 female

male
est.1962-1983

male
1989-2012

L101

male
2002-2008
born 1993

L88 male
2012, Center for Whale Research

L-Pod

Page 9

3 of 6

born 1956 (est.)

L60

female

L71

L52

female
est.1972-2002
Washed up on
Long Beach,
WA 4/2002

L26

male
1986-2006

?
1980-1983

L90 female

born 1993

L81

male
1990-1997

L92 male

born 1995

L37

female
est.1933-1984

L16

male
est.1949-1978

L7

female
est.1961-2010

L43

female
1972-2006

L76

?
1987-1987

L104

born 1977

L53

male
2004-2006
female

born 1986
L72 gave birth to stillborn calf
September 2010

born 2004

L72

female

born 1996

L95

male

L105 male
2012, Center for Whale Research

L Pod

Page 10

L4

female
est.1949-1996

4 of 6

L61

male
est.1973-1996

L86

born 1991

L27 female

born 1965 (est.)

L62

male
1980 - 2000

L68

L80

male
1985-1995

?
1990-1993

female

L112

female
2009-2012

L93

"Victoria"

female
1995-1998
born 2005

born 1977

L112 washed up in
WA, February, 2012

L106 male

L55 female

L96

male
1996-1997

L103 female

born 2003

born 1990

born 2010

born 2007

L109

male

born 2011

L118 unk

L82 female

L116

male

2012, Center for Whale Research

L-Pod

Page 11

5 of 6

L66

female
est.1924-1986

L15

female
est.1930-1981

L20

L13

L45

L8

male
est.1955-1982

male
est.1952-1980

female
est.1938-1995

male
est.1958-1977

L36

?
1975-1975

L57

male
1977-2008

L21

female
1950-2008

L48

L47

born 1974

born 1990

L83

female

born 1995

L91

L99

?
2000-2000

born 2007
"Flapper"

L110

female

?
1977-1983

female

L102

?
2002-2002

born 2010
"Hope"

L107

?
2005-2005

L115

male

L111

female
2008-2008

male

2012, Center for Whale Research

L-Pod

Page 12

6 of 6

L9

female
est.1931-1996

L3

L5

femle
est.1964-2012

L58

male
1980-2002

female
est.1948-2002

L73

L33

male
1986-2010

male
est.1963-1995

L51

female
est.1973-1999

L59

?
1979-1979

L74

male
1986-2009

L97

?
1999-1999

L84 male

born 1990

L35

female
est.1942-1996

L50
L1
male

male
1973-1989
est.1959-2000

L65

L50

female
1984-1994

male
est. 1973-1989

born 1977

born 2001

L100 male

L54 female

born 2006

L108 male

born 2010
"Spooky"

L117 unk
SRKW
Population
as of
October 2012
J-pod 26
K-pod 19
L-pod 39
Total: 84

* J30, K40, L5,L12,L78, L112 are deceased this year.

* L119 and J49 were both born in 2012

2012, Center for Whale Research

Page 13

Adult males of the Southern Resident Community

At the onset of sexual maturity, the dorsal fin of a male orca begins to "sprout". At age 20 to 22 it may attain a
height of up to six feet. Due to their height and distinctive markings, sightings of males help identify pods and
family groups.

J pod

born 1991

K pod

born 1986

L pod

born 1977

Page numbers refer to the geneology charts in this field guide.

J27 male

born 1991

K21 male

born 1993

L41 male

born 1989

p.2

J34 male
p.3

p.5

L85 male

L89 male

p.7

K26 male

born 1991

L79 male

born 1990

p.6

p.7

born 1992

L87 male

p.7

p.7

born 1993

born 1998

p.2

p.8

born 1991

J26 male

born 1995

L92 male

p.9

K25 male

p.4

L84 male
p.12

born 1993

L88 male
p.8

born 1996

L95

male
p.9

2012, Center for Whale Research, USPO Box 1577, Friday Harbor, WA 98250