9-14-2018
SAN JUAN, Wash. — The ailing young orca known as J50 is dead, bringing the population of the endangered southern resident killer whales in Puget Sound to seventy-four.
The Seattle Times reports the Center for Whale Research declared the 3-year-old dead Thursday afternoon after they failed to spot her in an exhaustive search.
J50 was last seen on September 7 and was not with her family on several sightings in local waters.
Scientists had been planning to capture and rehabilitate the orca.
We are saddened to report that J50 is missing and now presumed dead.
The Center for Whale Research has had a vessel on the water looking for J50 for the past three days. We have seen all the other members of her family (i.e., J16s) during these outings.https://t.co/0jhbXDZBko pic.twitter.com/BMh7I6Xtg3— Whale Research (@CWROrcas) September 14, 2018