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#oBIArtForOrcas

Meet The Whales

Each individual whale has an alphanumeric designation: the pod letter followed by a number that indicates the order in which they were identified or born into the pod. This is how scientists keep track of who is who.
They also each have one or more common names that have been given to them in various ways over the years. We believe that common names help the public connect to the whales more on an individual level, so we've provided our preferred common names here alongside some basic stats about each whale.
J16
Slick
Slick's dorsal fin is so tall, that before she returned with her first calf she was for a brief time considered a sprouting male.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1972
Age:
January 1, 1972
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J16s
Artist:
Kat Martin
Location:
Harbor WildWatch
J19
Shachi
While it wasn't immediately clear, Shachi eventually became the new matriarch of J-Pod after the loss of J2 Granny. She's often in the lead when the pod travels through major waterways like Haro Strait.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1979
Age:
January 1, 1979
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J19s
Artist:
Carly Marshiano
Location:
KEXP
J22
Oreo
Shortly after having her first calf J34 in 1998, Oreo also became a surrogate mother figure for her 3 year-old orphaned niece J32 Rhapsody.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1985
Age:
January 1, 1985
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J22s
Artist:
Cindy Hansen
Location:
Friday Harbor Suites
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
J26
Mike
Mike is named after Canadian killer whale scientist Michael Bigg who pioneered the technique of being able to photo-ID individual orcas based on their natural markings.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
1991
Age:
January 1, 1991
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J16s
Artist:
Chris Colbert
Location:
Padilla Bay Interpretive Center
J27
Blackberry
After the loss of their mother in 2008, Blackberry played a key role in helping to raise his younger brother J39 Mako, who was five years-old at the time. The two brothers were inseparable until J39 reached adulthood.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
1991
Age:
January 1, 1991
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J11s
Artist:
Christine Fowler
Location:
Puget Sound Express
J31
Tsuchi
Orcas can have unique markings in unexpected locations. Tsuchi is a prime example with a jagged black "cheek line" below her eyepatch.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1995
Age:
January 1, 1995
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J11s
Artist:
Tiffany Wince
Location:
Parkersburg Art Center
J35
Tahlequah
Tahlequah has famously carried two of her deceased calves for long periods of time after losing them shortly after birth, demonstrating the depth of an orca's capacity to feel grief.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1998
Age:
January 1, 1998
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J17s
Artist:
Heidi Bruns Shank & Cindi Rausch
Location:
Madrona Supply Co
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
J36
Alki
First seen in December 1999, Alki was the last Southern Resident born before the new millenium. Her name, also the unofficial Washington State motto, comes from a Chinook jargon word meaing "future prosperity".
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1999
Age:
January 1, 1999
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J16s
Artist:
Val Unger
Location:
Future Primitive Brewing
J37
Hy'shqa
Hy'shqa is one of the "exceptions that breaks the rule". Instead of being rounded like most resident killer whale dorsal fins, her dorsal fin is more pointed like that of a transient/Bigg's killer whale.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2001
Age:
January 1, 2001
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J14s
Artist:
Orca Network
Location:
Langley Whale Center
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
J38
Cookie
Cookie has a unique line where his back appears higher behind his dorsal fin than in front of it. Already known for his rounded dorsal fin and unique saddles, fans think this just adds to Cookie's charm!
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2003
Age:
January 1, 2003
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J22s
Artist:
Cindy Hansen
Location:
Friday Harbor Suites
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
J39
Mako
While growing up, Mako would rarely leave the side of his older brother Blackberry. Now, his primary travel companion is his aunt J19 Shachi.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2003
Age:
January 1, 2003
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J11s
Artist:
Hazel Stephens
Location:
Olympia Timberland Library
J40
Suttles
Suttles and J41 Eclipse (born one year apart) used to play together a lot as calves. In 2024 and 2025, both Suttles and Eclipse had calves of their own, and now their daughters play together, too!
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2004
Age:
January 1, 2004
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J14s
Artist:
Sara Shimazu
Location:
Amazon
J41
Eclipse
When Eclipse gave birth to J51 Nova in 2015, she became the youngest Southern Resident killer whale mother on record, giving birth before the age of 10.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2005
Age:
January 1, 2005
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J19s
Artist:
Taylor Redmond
Location:
San Juan Excursions
J42
Echo
While her mom and two older siblings often travel close together, Echo is more of a social butterfly, often spending time with other female whales in J-Pod outside her matriline.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2007
Age:
January 1, 2007
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J16s
Artist:
Hannah Collinge
Location:
Mallard Ice Cream
J44
Moby
Moby's name is a reference to Moby Dick, because his right side eyepatch looks like a white sperm whale.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2009
Age:
January 1, 2009
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J17s
Artist:
Sara Shimazu
Location:
Fisherman's Terminal
J45
Se-Yi'-Chn
At the end of 2025, Se-Yi'-Chn got a new notch at the base of his dorsal fin. We rarely know the cause of a specific injury, but in this case the rake marks on either side of the wound indicated it was from rough-housing with another killer whale!
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2009
Age:
January 1, 2009
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J14s
Artist:
Alli Tweedt
Location:
Western Prince Whale Watching Adventures
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
J46
Star
After the loss of their mother J28 Polaris, Star was seen trying to support her younger brother J54 Dipper. Unfortunately, since he was still of nursing age at the time, her efforts were unsuccessful.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2009
Age:
January 1, 2009
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J17s
Artist:
Sarah Plane
Location:
MoonWater Arts
J47
Notch
Notch got his namesake marking at a young age. The size and shape of his notch has changed dramatically as his dorsal fin has grown with age.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2010
Age:
January 1, 2010
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J17s
Artist:
Jason and Monika Shields
Location:
Finn River Cidery
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
J49
T'ilem I'nges
Thanks to genetic analysis done by NOAA, we learned more about paternity in Southern Residents. While many calves at this time were found to be fathered by J1 Ruffles and L41 Mega, T'ilem I'nges is the only known whale fathered by L79 Skana.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2012
Age:
January 1, 2012
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J14s
Artist:
Sara Shimazu
Location:
Fisherman's Terminal
J51
Nova
While some juvenile males start roaming from their matrilines to spend more time associating with unrelated whales, Nova has maintained his strong family bonds. He often travels with his grandmother J19 Shachi or plays with his younger sisters.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2015
Age:
January 1, 2015
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J19s
Artist:
Sara Shimazu
Location:
Fisherman's Terminal
J53
Kiki
Kiki is one Southern Resident that has shown particular resilience. She lost her mom J17 Princess Angeline in 2019 when she was less than four years old. Thanks to her extended family, she was able to survive.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2015
Age:
January 1, 2015
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J17s
Artist:
Amanda Colbert
Location:
Whidbey Animals' Improvement Foundation (WAIF)
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
J56
Tofino
Tofino is known for being a very surface active whale, breaching far more often than other Southern Residents.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2019
Age:
January 1, 2019
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J11s
Artist:
Beth Woodruff
Location:
Underdog Bookstore
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
J57
Phoenix
When Phoenix was a calf and his mom J35 Tahlequah was off foraging, he would often get up to amusing antics to entertain himself. These included balancing driftwood on his rostrum, carrying kelp around in his mouth, and breach competitions with his podmate J58 Crescent.‍‍‍
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2020
Age:
January 1, 2020
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J17s
Artist:
Brianna Gage
Location:
Not on public display
J58
Crescent
As the firstborn granddaughter to current J-Pod leader J19 Shachi, one wonders if young Crescent might one day be the matriarch of J-Pod!
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2020
Age:
January 1, 2020
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J19s
Artist:
Alyssa Andrews
Location:
Eagle Harbor Books
J59
Sxwyeqόlh
All whales who are descendents of J14 Samish have been named by the Samish Indian Nation. That includes Sxwyeqólh (pronounced "Swee-a-kosh"), whose name means "brings hope for the future".
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2022
Age:
January 1, 2022
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J14s
Artist:
Orca Network
Location:
Langley Whale Center
J62
Unlike J63, who ventures away from mom often, in her early years J62 stayed in the slipstream of her mom J41 Eclipse, rarely being babysat by others.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2025
Age:
January 1, 2025
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J19s
Artist:
Taylor Redmond
Location:
San Juan Excursions
J63
J63 has an adventures spirit, comfortable traveling away from mom and with other J-Pod whales from a young age.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2025
Age:
April 1, 2025
Pod:
J-Pod
Matriline:
J14s
Artist:
Sara Shimazu
Location:
Cafe Moby in Roxanne - Amazon Seattle
K12
Sequim
Sequim has some of the most unique saddle patches among all Southern Residents: both sides are very wispy and also narrow. On the left side in particular, her saddle patch barely extends under her dorsal fin at all!
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1972
Age:
January 1, 1972
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K12s
Artist:
Jason and Monika Shields
Location:
San Juan Safaris Whale Watching
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K14
Lea
K14 was originally named Leon when it was believed she was a male. When it was discovered she was in fact a female, her name was adjusted to Lea instead. Because she was born in 1977, the same year Star Wars came out, she has also been linked to Princess Leia. ‍‍‍
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1977
Age:
January 1, 1977
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K14s
Artist:
Alayna Winter & Bret Easthouse
Location:
Lopez Village Park
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K16
Opus
Male Southern Residents receive survival benefits from their mothers into adulthood. The Center for Whale Research has demonstrated this "son cost" through their census data, where having a son decreases future reproductive output of a mom. Opus is one example of this. After giving birth to K35 Sonata in 2002 at age 17, she was never documented having another calf.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1985
Age:
January 1, 1985
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K16s
Artist:
Vanessa Pirtle
Location:
Bainbridge Ferry Terminal
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K20
Spock
Along with J16 Slick, Spock is one of the female Southern Residents that was briefly listed as a male in older ID guides. Both females have taller fins, leading reseachers to believe they might have been sprouter males until they returned with their first calves.‍‍‍‍
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1986
Age:
January 1, 1986
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K13s
Artist:
Zoe Olson
Location:
Port Townsend Marine Science Center
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K22
Sekiu
In addition to her distinct wispy saddle patches, another of Sekiu's identifying features is what we call a "black spine". This refers to the gray saddle patch not extending fully to the line of the back, resulting in black pigment along the spine of the whale when viewed from the side.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1987
Age:
January 1, 1987
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K12s
Artist:
Sara Shimazu
Location:
Maya's Legacy Whale Watching
K27
Deadhead
Usually, Southern Residents enter and exit the Salish Sea through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but occasionally they come over the "top" of Vancouver Island and down Johnstone Strait entering the Strait of Georgia from the north. Deadhead was part of a group that returned to inland waters this way several summers in a row, most recently in 2021.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1994
Age:
January 1, 1994
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K13s
Artist:
Katherine Evers
Location:
Medway Public Library
K33
Tika
We have always thought of K33 as a shape-shifting killer whale. He looks so different at different angles that Monika has fmistaken him for almost every other adult whale in the population at some point in time.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2001
Age:
January 1, 2001
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K12s
Artist:
Rachel Pettit
Location:
Maya's Legacy Whale Watching
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K35
Sonata
The K16s (Sonata's matriline) and the K18s (a now extinct matriline) used to occasionally travel separately from the rest of K-Pod. Sonata seemed particularly close with K21 Cappuccino, the last living member of the K18s. Interestingly, since Cappuccino's death in 2021, K-Pod has moved as a more cohesive unit again with it becoming rare for Sonata and his mom to break off.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2002
Age:
January 1, 2002
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K16s
Artist:
Rebecca Berger
Location:
Marrowstone Vineywards
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K36
Yoda
All Southern Resident calves are a cause for celebration, but Yoda's birth of her first calf K47 in 2025 was particularly exciting. As the smallest of the three pods with the fewest number of reproductive females, having another successful mom in K-Pod was a huge beacon of hope.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2003
Age:
January 1, 2003
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K14s
Artist:
Year of the Ocean 2025-2026 Families and Students
Location:
Sunnyside Environmental School
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K37
Rainshadow
A rain shadow occurs on the leeward side of a mountain range, where protection from prevailing winds leads to much drier conditions. K37 Rainshadow's name is a reference to his mom K12 Sequim; Sequim is a town in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, and gets less than half the rain that Seattle does.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2003
Age:
January 1, 2003
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K12s
Artist:
Sara Baldwin
Location:
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K38
Comet
Comet is one of a few Southern Resident males whose fins have not grown to their expected height. At over 20 years old, his fin still looks like that of a young sprouter male.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2004
Age:
January 1, 2004
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K13s
Artist:
Kat Martin
Location:
Anacortes Ferry Terminal
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K42
Kelp
In 2015, Kelp, his mom, and two siblings spent the entire summer traveling with J2 Granny and her extended family. They returned to traveling with K-Pod in the fall.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2008
Age:
January 1, 2008
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K14s
Artist:
Stephany Couatre-Groleau
Location:
Gulf of Georgia Cannery
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K43
Saturna
The average age a female killer whale gives birth for the first time is 15. As of 2026, Saturna is 16 years old, and we are all very hopeful we will see her with her first calf soon!
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2010
Age:
January 1, 2010
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K12s
Artist:
Macie Sailors
Location:
Lincoln Airport
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K45
Uhura
Uhura was the first calf born into K-Pod after an astonishing 11 year gap. As a female, she is a key hope for the future reproductive future of K-Pod.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2022
Age:
January 1, 2022
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K13s
Artist:
Michele Brodsky
Location:
Weekdays Preschool
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
K47
K47 appears to "skip" a number in the K-Pod alphanumerics due to a bizarre piece of history. The K46 designation was given in the 1980s to the whale formerly known as L46, when for the first and only time a matriline was reassigned to a different pod.
Sex:
Unknown
Birth Year:
2025
Age:
January 1, 2025
Pod:
K-Pod
Matriline:
K14s
Artist:
Year of the Ocean 2025-2026 Families and Students
Location:
Sunnyside Environmental School
L22
Spirit
Spirit's estimated birth year is 1971, the same year that the last live capture of Southern Residents occurred. Three members of L-Pod were taken that year, and had the captures continued, Spirit likely would have also been taken in subsequent years for display in marine aquaria.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1971
Age:
January 1, 1971
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L12 sub-group
Artist:
Amanda Colbert
Location:
Eagle Wing Whale & Wildlife Tours
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L25
Ocean Sun
Ocean Sun is currently the oldest living Southern Resident killer whale, estimated to have been born as early as 1928.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1928
Age:
January 1, 1928
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L12 sub-group
Artist:
Annalisa Miller
Location:
Duwamish River Hub
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L54
Ino
Ino has a distinct whistle when she breathes! With most orcas, you can clearly hear their exhale when they come to the surface, but for a few whales like Ino, you can also clearly hear their inhale.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1977
Age:
January 1, 1977
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L54s
Artist:
Jess Atsas
Location:
Books A GoGo
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L55
Nugget
Due dorsal fin shape and saddle patch, Nugget used to be easily confused with J17 Princess Angeline. They are one example of similar looking whales across pods, leading one to wonder if it's a coincidence or if they might have been related!
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1977
Age:
January 1, 1977
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L4s
Artist:
Christina Bergquist
Location:
Chimacum Elementary
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L72
Racer
In 2012, Racer was part of a group of five L-Pod whales that spent the summer traveling with J-Pod.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1986
Age:
January 1, 1986
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L72s
Artist:
Mollie Segall
Location:
Edmonds Ferry Terminal
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L77
Matia
We often refer to Southern Resident killer whale matrilines by the female that is the "glue" that holds the whales together, regardless of if she is alive or not. Matia and her sister L94 Calpyso lost their mom L11 Squirty in 2000, but because she is the matrilineal link between them, we still refer to Matia, Calpyso, and all of their descendents as the "L11s".
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1987
Age:
January 1, 1987
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L11s
Artist:
Lisa Blohm
Location:
Port Townsend Marine Science Center
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L82
Kasatka
Incredibly, the birth of L82 was witnessed by researchers in the summer of 1990. Observation notes included the whales moving quickly, rolling at the surface, and the newborn being raised to the surface by podmates.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1990
Age:
January 1, 1990
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L4s
Artist:
Ellie Sawyer
Location:
Earthbox Inn and Spa
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L83
Moonlight
Despite being from different pods, Moonlight has a very similar left-side saddle patch to K22 Sekiu: they are both open saddles with beautiful wispy edges.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1990
Age:
January 1, 1990
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L47s
Artist:
Urban Artworks
Location:
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L86
Surprise
Surprise! was given her name because she was born to a female who was thought to be post-reproductive. Some estimated ages of whales within the L4 matriline were reassessed after her birth.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1991
Age:
January 1, 1991
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L4s
Artist:
Liam Doucet
Location:
The Steamer Virginia V
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L87
Onyx
Onyx is the only Southern Resident to have switched pods for years at a time. After over 15 years traveling with K- and J-Pods, he again associates primarily with the L12 sub-group into which he was born.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
1992
Age:
January 1, 1992
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
Artist:
Zoe Olson
Location:
Concho Valley Library
L88
Wavewalker
Wavewalker is the last surviving member of the L2 matriline. He travels with the L54 sub-group and seems to have found a surrogate mother figure in L54 Ino.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
1993
Age:
January 1, 1993
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L54s
Artist:
Sarah Geist
Location:
Oak Harbor Ace Hardware
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L90
Ballena
In 2024, Ballena became the oldest first-time Southern Resident mother when she gave birth to her first documented calf L128. Sadly, L128 didn't survive, and it's thought that Ballena's small overall size might contribute to her poor reproductive success.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1993
Age:
January 1, 1993
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L4s
Artist:
Emma and Annie Stafki
Location:
Ruston Way Waterfront
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L91
Muncher
Muncher is one of 19 L-Pod whales that spent a full month in Dyes Inlet in Puget Sound in the fall of 1997.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1995
Age:
January 1, 1995
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L47s
Artist:
Tanesha Brester
Location:
Colman Dock - Washington State Ferry Terminal
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L94
Calypso
Calypso is a beacon of hope in L-Pod, being one of the females who is successfully reproducing on a regular basis with surviving calves born in 2009, 2015, and 2023.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
1995
Age:
January 1, 1995
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L11s
Artist:
Maria Robinska
Location:
Muzeum Historii Zoo
L103
Lapis
Many Southern Residents females have calves with different males, but in a few cases, there have been repeat matings resulting in full siblings. One such example is Lapis and her brother Takoda. Both of them were born to L55 Nugget and were sired by J1 Ruffles.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2003
Age:
January 1, 2003
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L4s
Artist:
Missy Rief
Location:
Feiro Marine Life Center
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L105
Fluke
With his tall dorsal fin and bold, wide open saddle patches, Fluke is one of the most easily identifiable of all the Southern Resident killer whales.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2004
Age:
January 1, 2004
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L72s
Artist:
Kadie Clements
Location:
Underdog Bookstore
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L106
Pooka
During multi-pod aggregations, young male Southern Residents often form what researchers have called MOSIs, or male-only social interactions. These groups often include a lot of sociosexual behavior and are an important part of life for a juvenile male. During his younger years, Pooka would often be seen with J39 Mako during these associations. The two males are just 2 years apart in age.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2005
Age:
January 1, 2005
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L4s
Artist:
Erica Michels
Location:
Bellevue Library (Bellevue, NE)
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L108
Coho
Coho was first documented by researchers on the outer coast near Grays Harbor, WA in April of 2006. At that time, we didn't know much about where K- and L-Pods spent the late winter and early spring months, but additional research has shown they spend a lot of time between Grays Harbor and the mouth of the Columbia River.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2006
Age:
January 1, 2006
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L54s
Artist:
Islandwood Students
Location:
Islandwood
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L109
Takoda
Takoda has one of the most classic male resident killer whale dorsal fins in the population: broad and tall with a rounded tip and a slight cant forward.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2007
Age:
January 1, 2007
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L4s
Artist:
Ryatt Moore
Location:
Mathnasium
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L110
Midnight
Midnight had an injury to his mouth when he was young, resulting in an extra flap of skin along his jaw line on his right side.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2007
Age:
January 1, 2007
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L47s
Artist:
Urban Artworks
Location:
Southworth Ferry Terminal
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L113
Cousteau
L113 is one of many whales in the Salish Sea who has multiple common names or nicknames. She was named Cousteau through The Whale Musueum's Orca Adoption Program and was also named Molly by the Center for Whale Research. It's important we all use the same alphanumeric designations to track the whales for scientific purposes, but you can use whichever common name you like best!
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2009
Age:
January 1, 2009
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L11s
Artist:
Bonnie Gretz
Location:
Coupeville Wharf
L115
Mystic
Mystic's survival ended a heart-breaking series of four previous calves born to his mom L47 Marina, none of which survived a full year.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2010
Age:
January 1, 2010
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L47s
Artist:
Urban Artworks
Location:
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L116
Finn
Young orcas often play with their food, perhaps in part to help hone their hunting techniques. During the summer he was four years old, Finn was observed pushing salmon around at the surface in Haro Strait. Either he was still learning how to process a caught fish for prey sharing or he was trying to bring back the famed "salmon hat" trend from the 1980s!
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2010
Age:
January 1, 2010
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L4s
Artist:
Brooke Casanova
Location:
Seven Seas Brewing
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L117
Keta
Keta belongs to the small L54 sub-group, one of three distinct social units within L-Pod. Encounters with the L54s are rare, as they are the group of Southern Residents that spend the least amount of time in inland waters.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2010
Age:
January 1, 2010
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L54s
Artist:
Sarah Ehle
Location:
Orca Spirit Adventures
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L118
Jade
Orcas often get rake marks from the teeth of other whales which usually fade over time. Jade is unique in that she has distinct white rake marks on both saddle patches that have persisted, giving her a feature that makes her easily identifiable.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2011
Age:
January 1, 2011
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L4s
Artist:
Kelly Dawson
Location:
Psychic Sister
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L119
Joy
A unique trait of Joy is that she is the progeny of two whales with consecutive alphanumeric designations. We know from observation that her mom is L77 Matia, and from genetic sampling her dad was determined to be L78 Gaia.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2012
Age:
January 1, 2012
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L11s
Artist:
Amanda Colbert
Location:
Seaport Books La Conner
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L121
Windsong
Windsong was first documented on the outer coast of Washington by NOAA researchers in February 2015 during one of a series of winter oceanic surveys aimed at better documenting Southern Resident killer whale habitat usage outside of the Salish Sea. Thanks in part to these surveys, SRKW critical habitat was extended to include the outer coast in 2021.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2015
Age:
January 1, 2015
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L11s
Artist:
Elijah Foster
Location:
Whale Research EcoExcursions
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L122
Magic
Magic was part of the baby boom of 2015 where an incredible 11 Southern Resident calves were born over a period of 13 months. While we rarely see birth rates anywhere near this level, it provided a surge of hope around the reproductive potential Southern Residents have if we can give help recover their prey enough for them to survive.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2015
Age:
January 1, 2015
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L47s
Artist:
Seattle Youth Muralists
Location:
Seattle Clipper
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L123
Lazuli
Like so many other sons born to whales in K- and L-Pods, Lazuli doesn't have any living siblings. A new calf seen in early 2026 might change that, as Lazuli's mom L103 Lapis is thought to be the mostly likely mother of L129, too. We will have to wait for L-Pod to return again in 2026 to learn if Lazuli does indeed now have a little brother or sister.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2015
Age:
January 1, 2015
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L4s
Artist:
McKenna Griffith
Location:
Hand's On Children's Museum
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L124
Whistle
On her left side, Whistle has a unique open saddle patch where the pigment is actually split into two broken segments that don't connect with one another, the only Southern Reisdent to have such a marking!
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2018
Age:
January 1, 2018
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L11s
Artist:
Rainer and Vera Wieland
Location:
Mock Crest Tavern
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L125
Element
Element has seemingly formed a friendship with K45 Uhura who is one year younger than her. The two often associate when K- and L-Pods are together, perhaps in part because they are closer in age to each other than to any of their own podmates.
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2021
Age:
January 1, 2021
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L4s
Artist:
Mollie Segall
Location:
Southworth Ferry Terminal
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L126
Balcomb
L126 was first photographed by a fisherman off Tofino. When the L12 sub-group visited inland waters two weeks later, the Center for Whale Research went out to look for this new calf, and were surprised to fine not one but two new babies traveling with this group! Balcomb received the first number since he was the first one photographed; the second calf was designated L127.
Sex:
Male
Birth Year:
2023
Age:
January 1, 2023
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L11s
Artist:
Bambi Miller
Location:
Jerrol's Bookstore
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L127
Scuba
Scuba has one of the thinnest and widest open saddle patches among living Southern Residents. Saddle patches typically brigthen as whales get a little older, and we can't wait to see hers come in more clearly!
Sex:
Female
Birth Year:
2023
Age:
January 1, 2023
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
L11s
Artist:
Bonnie Gretz
Location:
Sno-Isle Libraries - Coupeville Library
Photo taken under NMFS Permit #27038
L129
L129 was first seen during a rare February visit from L-Pod to inland waters. Because the visit was so brief, researchers aren't yet 100% certain who their mom is!
Sex:
Unknown
Birth Year:
2026
Age:
February 1, 2026
Pod:
L-Pod
Matriline:
Greater L4 sub-group
Artist:
Andoni Arrambide
Location:
Not publicly displayed
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