• News
  • Tech
  • Health
  • Planet Earth
  • Strange News
  • Animals
  • History
  • Culture
  • Space
Live Science
  • News
  • Tech
  • Health
  • Planet Earth
  • Strange News
  • Animals
  • History
  • Culture
  • Space
Live Science
News Tech Health Planet Earth Strange News Animals History Culture Space
  • Live Science
  • Animals

In Photos: Response Teams Try To Save Starving Killer Whale

By Kimberly Hickok, Staff Writer | August 15, 2018 05:40pm ET
  • MORE

Young orca

Young orca

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet, or J50, is a 3-year-old female killer whale (Orcinus orca) in poor health, but scientists are trying their best to help her. [Read more about the attempt to save this starving orca]

Peanut head

Peanut head

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet's thin form means there's a dip at the base of her skull, where she's lost fat. Experts call this "peanut head," and it's not a good sign.

Small girl

Small girl

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet is small for her age, but in the past month she's looked particularly emaciated.

J Pod

J Pod

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet is part of the J pod, one of three small groups of orcas within the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale subpopulation.

Family ties

Family ties

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet's mom and sibling are also part of the J pod.

Mother and daughter

Mother and daughter

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet seen here, to the left of her mother, J16.

Staying close

Staying close

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet seen here swimming with her sibling, J42.

Keep swimming

Keep swimming

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet, or J50, is emaciated and weak and has trouble keeping up with her pod at times.

Following along

Following along

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet follows a member of her pod.

Keeping up

Keeping up

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Observers noticed that Scarlet was having trouble keeping up with her pod when the current was strong.

Falling behind

Falling behind

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

At one point, Scarlet fell behind members of her pod by almost a half mile (1 kilometer).

Team effort

Team effort

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Response teams from the U.S. and Canada worked together to execute a plan to save Scarlet.

Feeding drial

Feeding drial

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

A Lummi Nation boat slipped live salmon into the water through a long tube device, hoping to entice Scarlet to eat.

Questionable appetite

Questionable appetite

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Response teams served salmon to Scarlet from the back of their boat, but they're unsure if she ate any of the fish.

Live fish

Live fish

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Live, farm-raised chinook salmon were dropped in the water for Scarlet to feed on. It's unclear if she actually ate any of the fish.

On Call

On Call

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Response teams were poised for the right opportunity to collect breath and fecal samples from Scarlet.

Breath sample

Breath sample

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Researchers used a long pole with a petri dish at the end to collect a sample of the air Scarlet exhales out her blowhole.

Quick exhale

Quick exhale

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

When Scarlet exhales, the bacteria in her breath sticks to the petri dish researchers held above her head.

Close watch

Close watch

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet was spotted off the west side of San Juan Island near Lime Kiln Lighthouse on Aug. 11, 2018.

You'd Also Like

  • Ancient, 50-Foot-Long Whale Crushed Baby Whale Skulls for Dinner

    LiveScience
  • Humpback Whales Plagiarize the Tunes of Other Whales (Even Oceans Away)

    LiveScience
  • Scarlet, the Struggling Orca, Now Presumed Dead

    LiveScience
  • Rare Footage Shows Beautiful Orcas Toying with Helpless Sea Turtles

    LiveScience
previous | next

Young orca

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet, or J50, is a 3-year-old female killer whale (Orcinus orca) in poor health, but scientists are trying their best to help her. [Read more about the attempt to save this starving orca]

Peanut head

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet's thin form means there's a dip at the base of her skull, where she's lost fat. Experts call this "peanut head," and it's not a good sign.

Small girl

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet is small for her age, but in the past month she's looked particularly emaciated.

J Pod

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet is part of the J pod, one of three small groups of orcas within the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale subpopulation.

Family ties

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet's mom and sibling are also part of the J pod.

Mother and daughter

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet seen here, to the left of her mother, J16.

Staying close

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet seen here swimming with her sibling, J42.

Keep swimming

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet, or J50, is emaciated and weak and has trouble keeping up with her pod at times.

Following along

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet follows a member of her pod.

Keeping up

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Observers noticed that Scarlet was having trouble keeping up with her pod when the current was strong.

Falling behind

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

At one point, Scarlet fell behind members of her pod by almost a half mile (1 kilometer).

Team effort

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Response teams from the U.S. and Canada worked together to execute a plan to save Scarlet.

Feeding drial

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

A Lummi Nation boat slipped live salmon into the water through a long tube device, hoping to entice Scarlet to eat.

Questionable appetite

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Response teams served salmon to Scarlet from the back of their boat, but they're unsure if she ate any of the fish.

Live fish

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Live, farm-raised chinook salmon were dropped in the water for Scarlet to feed on. It's unclear if she actually ate any of the fish.

On Call

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Response teams were poised for the right opportunity to collect breath and fecal samples from Scarlet.

Breath sample

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Researchers used a long pole with a petri dish at the end to collect a sample of the air Scarlet exhales out her blowhole.

Quick exhale

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

When Scarlet exhales, the bacteria in her breath sticks to the petri dish researchers held above her head.

Close watch

Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786

Scarlet was spotted off the west side of San Juan Island near Lime Kiln Lighthouse on Aug. 11, 2018.

Science Newsletter: Subscribe
Follow Us
Most Popular
  1. Dead sea scolls

    Biblical Archaeology: The Study of Biblical Sites & Artifacts

  2. Beresheet mission timeline

    Why It'll Take Israel's Lunar Lander 8 Weeks to Get to the Moon

  3. A person squeezing sunscreen out of a bottle.

    Sunscreen 'Sea Change' May Be Coming with New FDA Rules

  4.  stylophoran illustration

    480-Million-Year-Old Mystery Creature Finally Identified from Its Preserved Guts

  5. <em>Unnuakomys hutchisoni</em> iis almost undetectable in this mural depicting the Arctic landscape of the late Cretaceous.

    Tiny Dino-Era 'Night Mouse' Found Above Arctic Circle

HomeAbout Us
Company
  • Company Info
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Using Our Content
  • Licensing & Reprints
  • Terms of Use
  • Copyright Policy
  • Privacy Policy
Network
  • Top Ten Reviews
  • Tom's Guide
  • Laptop Mag
  • Tom's Hardware
  • Space.com
  • Live Science
  • AnandTech
  • Dignifyed
FOLLOW US
Subscribe
Purch

Copyright © All Rights Reserved.