Granny (orca)
 |
|
| Species | Killer whale (Orcinus orca) |
|---|---|
| Breed | Southern resident killer whale |
| Sex | Female |
| Born | c. 1911 |
| Died | c. October–December 2016 (age about 105) east Pacific Ocean |
| Known for | Long life |
| Residence | Northeast Pacific Ocean, coastal bays of Washington and British Columbia |
| Offspring | J1 Ruffles |
| Appearance | Gray "saddle patch" behind dorsal fin; half-moon notch in dorsal fin |
| Named after | Her long life |
Granny (born c. 1911, presumed dead between October–December 2016), also known as J2, was an orca (killer whale). She was estimated by some whale researchers to have been 105 years old (with a margin of error of 12 years). If correct, this age would make her the oldest known orca at the time of her death. A member of the endangered southern resident killer whale population, Granny lived in the northeast Pacific Ocean and coastal bays of Washington state and British Columbia. Granny was estimated to have been born in 1911. She was last seen on October 12, 2016, and was considered deceased by The Center for Whale Research in January 2017.
Granny was recognizable from the gray "saddle patch" just behind her dorsal fin, and a half-moon notch in her fin. Simon Pidcock of Ocean EcoVentures said he had seen Granny thousands of times, and that the markings on orca fins were like fingerprints.
Granny had been captured with the rest of her pod in 1967 but was too old at that time for a marine mammal park and so was released.
Now that orca studies have been conducted for several decades, the exact age of many whales is known. The age of older orcas, such as Granny, is estimated by their offspring; they give birth around age 15, and stop having offspring around 40; by adding the generations together, ages can be estimated. There are also photographs of Granny from the 1930s and the size and growth of Granny and the other orcas has also been used in the age estimates. Granny was photographed in 1971 with a male orca, J1 Ruffles, who was thought to be her son. Ruffles was estimated as at least 20 years old, and as scientists believed him to be Granny's last offspring, her own age was estimated at about 60. Granny's age was estimated with a margin of error of 12 years, but was the subject of an academic dispute in 2016.
Granny, along with several of her descendants, travelled in the J pod, a group of about 25 orcas. J pod, along with Pods K and L, are the "J clan", which constitute the entire southern resident killer whale population. They frequent the inland waters of British Columbia and Washington State in the summer months, but roam from southeast Alaska to central California. They have completed a journey as far as 800 miles (1,300 km) in a week. As the oldest female in J pod, Granny would have been considered its leader.
...
Wikipedia