FRIDAY HARBOR — Federal officials say a killer whale they’ve been monitoring near the San Juan Islands may have gotten rid of the salmon lure that was hanging from its mouth.
The orca, a 12-year-old male known as J-39, was observed to have the lure stuck from its mouth on Aug. 1, and researchers were concerned it might affect its feeding and behavior. NOAA Fisheries provided some additional money to the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor to further track the whale and assess its condition.
In new photos, the shiny, oblong-shaped lure known as a “flasher” is no longer present. NOAA spokesman Michael Milstein says the hook itself is not visible in the photos, but it’s tough to say for sure whether it’s still in the whale’s mouth.
Researchers say J-39’s behavior does not appear to have been affected.
