L111 Confirmed!!! Welcome to the world little one

Photo: L47 and L111 taken by Center for Whale Research Staff member Dave Ellifrit on August 12, 2008 under MMPA permit #532-1822.

Our suspicions were confirmed this afternoon when we encountered a group of Ls in Bellingham Channel. L47 was in this group with her now three children, including newly designated L111 who was born less than 48 hours ago!!! Also in this group was L72 (Racer) her son L105 (Fluke) and her brother L95 (Nigel). There were more animals than just the L21 subgroup and L72 and family, but they were so bunched up it was difficult to identify the rest of the members. It's always exciting to meet a new member of the Southern Resident Community, and we're really pulling for this little one as three of it's older siblings died the same year they were born (see below message from the Center for Whale Research). Our guests were thrilled to see this new addition to our family, even year-old L110 made this guy look small! We're hoping to watch this little one, as well as K42 (the other calf from this summer) grow up into producing adults for this community. Our animals are endangered for a reason and it's important to us to educate the public about the reasons for their plight in hopes of fostering a sense of concern for our animals and the environment in general.

Good luck L47 and little L111!

Megan Young, Naturalist

The Center for Whale Research discovered a new calf in L pod, early afternoon, August 12, 2008. The new calf, designated L111, is the 6th calf of L47. L111 joins sisters L83 and L91 and nephew L110 as the newest member of the L21 subgroup. L47, at age 34, is not only a new mother but also a grandmother. Her last calf, L107, was born in the summer of 2005 but did not survive more than a few months. Based on L111's size and the apparent fetal folds (visable in the above photographs), Center for Whale Research staff believe the calf to have been be only a few hours old. Also, L47 was observed by Center staff without a calf in the evening of August 11, additionally indicating that L111 was born less than 24 hours before its discovery. The total number of individuals in L pod has yet to be determined this year, however the Center has proposed that there may be at least two L pod whales missing this year. Therefore, this is an important event in L pod and the Center staff is hopeful that the calf will survive. As of December 2007, there are 43 whales in L pod. If L111 returns to the San Juan Islands next summer, it will be officially counted in the population. For more details on the first encounter with L111 please go to: 2008_Eounters_035.html