Death of killer whale J-32 troubling, say scientists

The body of a young killer whalewas discovered Thursday near Vancouver Island by residents ofCourtenay, B.C.,who towed it to shore.

Its death is troubling, said marine mammal researchers from the Vancouver Aquarium,as it marks the fourth recent death in theendangered southern resident population.

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Two of the whales, L100 and L53, are presumed to have died sometime this summer, while the calfL120died about eight weeks ago.

Now, only 77 southern resident killer whales remain in the Salish Sea.

The whale found Thursday was identified as 18-year-old J-32, according to PaulCottrell, a marine mammalco-ordinatorwith the department.

"It really tugs at the heart strings. It's a magnificent animal. Sixteen feet or so so it's likely a juvenile. So, it's terrible and we want to figure out what the cause of death was here and how this animal died," Cottrell said.

According to theOrcaNetwork, J-32, which was nicknamed Rhapsody, was thought to be in the late stages of pregnancy last summer judging byher wide girth, which was visible when she breached.

"AnecropsySaturday led by Dr. StephenRavertywill reveal if she was indeed pregnant and hopefully will find the cause of death. She was believed to have died in the past 24 to 48 hours," said the statement posted by theOrcaNetwork.

Most contaminated marine mammals in world

Its always a concern to lose an individual from a small population of endangered animals, such as the southern resident killer whales, said marine mammal scientist Lance Barrett-Lennard.

"But this is even more distressing because it was a female of reproductive age," he said. "Her probability of contribution to the recovery of this population was very high, and her years of maximum importance to the population were still to come.

Vancouver Aquarium pollution researcher Peter Ross saidthere are a number of factors that might have contributed to the whale's death.

"We have long been concerned about very high levels of endocrine-disrupting pollutants in these whales, reduced food supply notably chinook salmon and noise and disturbance, saidRoss.

The planned necropsy will hopefully provide early clues about why this young female died, but more detailed insight will come from laboratory analysis for pathogens, sign of illness and contaminants."

The aquarium saidit was Ross's research that determined the southern resident killer whales are among the most contaminated marine mammals in the world.