6-18-2018
FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash. — Researchers say an adult male orca is missing and presumed dead as resident killer whales struggle with declining salmon in the Salish Sea.
More than fifty orcas returned to inland waters on June 11, nearly two months since they were last seen in the area, which researchers say is an unusually long break, but may be due to less salmon.
A 23-year-old male known as L92 was missing and hasn’t been seen by Center for Whale Research staff since last November.
With his loss, the population of Southern Resident Killer Whales is down to seventy-five, the lowest in more than three decades.