A5 Pod

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A5 pod is a name given to a group of orcas (Orcinus orca) found off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the northern resident population of orcas - a name given to the fish-eating orcas found in coastal waters ranging from mid-Vancouver Island up through the Queen Charlotte Islands of British Columbia and into the southeastern portions of Alaska. A30 matriline

The orcas of the northern resident community are divided into vocally distinctive clans known as the A clan, the G clan, and the R clan. Members of the A5 pod belong to the A clan.

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[edit] Early Research

When studies first began, it was assumed all orcas traveling together were part of the same pod. Initially, males were also thought to lead harems of females and their young. Some pods were named for a distinctive male while others were named for other distinctive individuals.

Over time, studies showed that these congregations of orcas were not all the same pod. Rather, they were matrilines - a mother and her offspring up to the fourth generation. Nonetheless, the pod names remained. Generally, matrilines within a pod frequently socialize with one another, more so than with orcas from another pod.

[edit] Naming

A5 pod itself was named for a male, A5, also known as Top Notch. He was part of the A9 matriline, of which his mother, A9 (also known as Scar or Eve) was the leader. The A5 pod is currently made up of three matrilines. The line of A9 has died out with her sons, A5 (Top Notch) and A26 (Foster). She had no surviving daughters to carry on her line, although the matriarch of another family, A8 (Licka) was suspected to be her daughter. A9 washed up on a beach in Johnstone Strait in November 1990, her stomach containing 5 litres of fish bones representing 13 different species.

[edit] Capturing of Pods

As a whole, A5 pod was captured several times during the 1970's, in order to take young orcas into aquariums around the world. Almost an entire generation of orcas were taken from different families of the A5 pod.

Currently, only one orca from these captures still survives to this day. She is, in fact, the only surviving member of those from the northern resident community taken into captivity. Her name is Corky 2, and currently she lives at SeaWorld in San Diego, California. From studies of this population, it is known that her mother was A23, also known as Stripe. A23 died in 2000, at the approximate age of 53 years old. Corky also has a brother, A27 (Okisollo), also deceased. Her family currently consists of a younger sister, A43 (Ripple), a niece, A69 (Midsummer) and younger brother A60 (Fife).

Other notable members of the A5 pod included A14, also known as Saddle. She was easily recognized by her unique saddle patch - a marking behind the dorsal fin. A14's daughter, A25 (Sharky) was also known for having a unique and very distinct pointed dorsal fin. Saddle died in 1991, around the age of 44, while Sharky died unexpectedly at the age of around 26, in 1997. Sharky's death was a surprise, because her age group has the lowest mortality rate of all age groups.

[edit] Tragedies

The A5 pod has suffered many tragedies over the years. Besides losing a generation of whales to captivity, one young whale, A57 (Kelkpa) was found on the 16th of December in 1996 in a bay in BC. She died that day and became the first orca of the population that we knew the cause of death: she died of erysipelas. In 1973, a young whale was hit by a BC ferry. Two older whales supported the young one and helped it to breathe. The whale was sighted 15 days later, with the other two still holding it up, then was never seen again. Most likely, this was the young whale A21, also an A5 pod whale.

Also, on July 27, 2003, a young male, A60 (Fife), Corky2's brother, was injured probably by a boat propeller. By 2004, the injury was well-healed, but left scarring all along his right side.

[edit] Current Status

Currently, the A5 pod consists of 3 matrilines and 10 whales, down from 4 matrilines and 13 whales in 1999. The three matrilines are:

The A8 Matriline, which consists of sisters A28 (Havannah), born in 1974, and A42 (Sonora), born in 1980, and A42's children A66 (Surf), 1996, and A79 (Current), 2004.

The A43 Matriline, which consists of siblings A43 (Ripple), born 1981 and A60 (Fife), born 1992, and A43's daughter A69 (Midsummer), born 1996.

The A51 Matriline, which consists of siblings A51 (Nodales), born 1986, and A61 (Surge), born 1994, and A51's unnamed 2006 calf, A85.

It is interesting to note that every whale currently alive in A5 pod was born during the study, and therefore all of their lineage is known positively.


[edit] Books

  • Ford, John K.B.; Ellis, Graeme M.; & Balcomb, Kenneth C. (2000). Killer Whales (2nd ed.). UBC Press. ISBN 0-7748-0800-4.
  • Hoyt, Erich. (1990). Orca: The Whale Called Killer (3rd ed.). London: Robert Hale Limited. ISBN 0-920656-25-0.