J Pod was spotted in Haro Strait this week powering through the waves. High winds have made our normally calm waters a more thrilling ride. With such high waves a count was not able to be taken, but it is thought all of J Pod was out there, including Granny (J2) and Onyx (L87).
In resident orca communities, offspring usually swim with their mothers, or close family members, their whole lives. This is not the case for Onyx. Onyx lost his mother in 2005, and instead of staying close to his surviving family members, which is typical orca behavior, he pulled a switcharoo. At first, Onyx swam with K Pod. He was often seen swimming close to Lummi (K7) and Georgia (K11), who were the elderly ladies of K Pod. After a few years of traveling with K Pod, Onyx switched pods again, this time landing in L Pod. Onyx is typically seen by Granny's (J2) side. Granny is celebrating her 103rd birthday this year, making her the oldest Southern Resident. We are uncertain why Onyx has decided to stick with J Pod, but there are some theories to his behavior. Orcas are highly social, and it could be that Onyx was simply seeking out the best step mom after his mothers death. Older females have a lot of experience and it is possible that Onyx is trying to tap into that pool of knowledge. There is also the thought that Onyx has adopted a different pod for breeding purposes. Southern Residents do not breed inside their own pod, so it is possible that Onyx is trying to maximize his fecundity, which is the ability to reproduce, by always traveling with another pod. For now we can only guess the origins of Onyx's behavior. It is always fun to see Granny traveling with Onyx by her side.
Emily
Office manager, San Juan Outfitters