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Update Aug 6
The rescue team did a practice run of a rescue mission today. J Pod clan of orcas still have not been seen in Washington waters. They only have authority to operate in WA, and still have not received federal permission to intervene with J50 Scarlet, but they are hoping for all elements to align for a mission by Wednesday.
"We are both fishing creatures; we both live for the salmon. And in our community, we come together when someone is hurting. We come together when someone needs help. It is the same with the Salish Sea, and with the orcas. She is part of the web that connects us all."
“We each belong to the Salish Sea.”
James said he believes the mother whale, carrying her baby for hundreds of miles, was making a deliberate, public statement. “This is her protest; she is trying to get the world’s attention. And it is working.” People around the region and the world have followed the sad story of Tahlequah, and her starving relative
Bill James, Lummi Hereditary Chief and member of rescue team
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/hand-feeding-a-wild-orca-inside-the-practice-run-to-save-the-ailing-killer-whale-j50/
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"Update: for people interested in what is going on with the southern resident orca whales, J35 and J50...there has been no sign of J Pod in local San Juan Island, WA waters since Thursday, the pod is keeping to the outer coast and west end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and environs. So, we don't know how the ailing four year old orca, J50, is faring, nor whether J35, Tahlequah is still carrying her dead calf. As of Sunday night, the emergency feed for starving J50 is on for tomorrow, with the Lummi Nation ready to supply fresh chinook, served bright, alive and swimming. King County has provided the SoundGuardian, the county's new research boat with crew to help, and NOAA and the Vancouver (BC) Aquarium, and the UW are turning out biologists and veterinarians to do a health assessment of J50 tomorrow -- presuming the pod shows up -- to determine if trying to feed her makes sense. If so, the first attempt could come as soon as tomorrow afternoon. We'll see. Lots of moving parts, variables, unknowns, and questions. It's an unprecedented attempt to help the critically-endangered pod. Meanwhile people around the world are showing interest, care and concern.
Whatever tomorrow brings, photographer Alan Berner and I will be on scene and reporting for the Seattle Times." - Linda Mapes
Update Mon Aug 6
You can watch the Orca Task Force Meeting online tomorrow.
Morning session
https://www.tvw.org/watch/?eventID=2018081016
Afternoon session
https://www.tvw.org/watch/?eventID=2018081017
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| Seattle research vessel SoundGaurdian joins orca resue mission |
Update Sun August 5
Seattle's research vessel, the SoundGaurdian, has been dispatched to aid in locating J50 Scarlet and assisting in any plans to feed and medicate her.
The vessel will dock in Bellingham and work with Lummi Nation. (Source: Dow Constantine, King County Executive)
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| J35 Tahlequah, photo by Center for Whale Research |
Update on J35 Tahlequah as of Thursday Aug 2
J Pod Orca family headed west out to sea, no public reporting of sightings since.
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| J50 Scarlet as baby, photo by Clint Rivers, Salish Sea Orcas |
Update J50 Scarlet Intervention as of Aug 4:
Update on J50 Scarlet, feeding and medicine plans on hold while analyzing collected medical samples, multi agency conference call scheduled for Monday:
"Such an intervention is unprecedented. For scientists to consider taking such drastic steps towards saving Scarlet proves the severity of the situation, said Giles.
“She’s in worse shape than any animal we’ve ever seen that’s survived,” she said. “But she’s always been incredibly spunky. She still has a will to live.”
The multi-disciplinary team has a phone call scheduled for Monday where they hope to decide the next step in their course of action. Rhodes is confident they will make the right choice.- King5 news
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Leave your suggestions for the Governor's Orca Task Force here (official form for Gov Inslee's website):
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/srkwtfpubliccomment
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