I wonder about her health. Is that what they call a "peanut head".? An indication of malnutrition.
Just was looking at photos of new arrival L125 on the
CWR website
Peanut head has definitely been an issue with this population as their prey source continues to drastically decline. It can be hard to visually identify peanut head from this angle and especially being a snapshot image vs what researchers are able to capture from drones with video to better visualize and even measure the shape of the head and monitor changes over time.
In this encounter the whales were surfacing and moving quickly in rough seas, I believe she was inhaling before a dive in this photo which will make it look different around the blowhole area. The best indicator is definitely seen from above where you will see the eyepatches pointing inward indicating loss of fat around the skull.
It’s such good news about the new calf, a hopeful sign. I just hope they continue to find enough food and can overcome the many challenges they face in their environment.
Cheers,
-J