The oldest known killer whale is still going strong at 103 years old and was spotted off the British Columbia coastline last weekend.
Dubbed "Granny" or "J2," the orca leads "J-Pod," a pod of around 25 southern resident killer whales, the Victoria Times Colonist reported.
Simon Pidcock, head of the whale-watching tour group Ocean EcoVentures, saw Granny and her pod along with 12 visitors while traveling through Gulf Island waters.
"I've seen Granny in these parts about 1,000 times over 13 years," Pidcock told the Times Colonist. "She looked really healthy and playful. It was good to see them foraging, finding fish here."
His passengers, who come from around the world, were excited to see the whale as well and learn more about her history, he said.
"It surprises people when they realize this whale was around before the Titanic sank. She's lived through fishing changes and live captures of whales. I would love to know what she thinks," Pidcock told the Times Colonist.
The 103-year-old killer whale has survived seeing her food supply shrink over the years, according to Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor, Wash.
"The era of dam construction in the U.S. decimated the salmon supply," Balcomb told the Times Colonist. "[Orcas] used to be able to cherry-pick salmon runs. Now they forage for them."
Granny is one of just 80 southern resident killer whales, which are categorized as endangered in the U.S. and Canada. Wild orcas usually live to be 60 to 80 years old, but this variety seems to have a longer lifespan. Another whale named Lummi, of K-Pod, died in 2008 at 98 years old, while Ocean Sun of the orca L-Pod is believed to be 85 years old.
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