After Fifty Years in Exile, Orcas Return to Penn Cove

The calm waters of Penn Cove, near Whidbey Island in Washington state, have long held memories of dark times. Here, more than fifty years ago, a group of orcas suffered a mass capture, profoundly marking the history of the region and that of the Southern Resident orcas. Now, for the first time since this tragic event, these same orcas, particularly the group known as L-Pod, are returning to explore these waters. An unexpected return which both intrigues and moves marine observers, and seems to break the silence imposed by half a century of absence.

A return to the scene of a tragedy

In November 2024, the Southern Resident orcas, a pod of endangered orcas called the L-Pod, were seen in the waters of Penn Cove near Whidbey Island, Washington.

This region was the scene of a traumatic event on August 8, 1970. That day, a capture operation rounded up more than 80 orcas through the use of speedboats, explosives and aerial scouting. This gathering was intended to provide orcas to marine parks, a practice still common at the time.

This mass capture resulted in the deaths of five orcas. An adult female and four young drowned in the nets. To hide these losses, those responsible submerged their bodies in the bay.

Of the seven orcas captured that day, one is particularly famous. Tokitae, also called Lolita, lived captive at the Miami Seaquarium for more than 50 years. She died in 2023, just before a release plan that would have allowed her return to sea.

Since then, Southern Resident orcas have avoided Penn Cove. According to researchers, this behavior is linked to an intergenerational memory of this trauma.

Southern Resident orcas swim past the dock where, in the 1970s, their captured kin were shipped off for a life in captivity.
Credit: Sarah Geist via Whidbey News Times

Reasons for a prolonged absence

Southern Resident orcas, including members of the L-Pod, are classified as endangered by the US Endangered Species Act, a classification that was officially implemented in 2005 by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

This population has suffered from the decline in stocks of salmon, their main food. The pollution of their habitats also worsens their situation. In addition, maritime traffic disrupts their natural environment. Although capture has been prohibited in Washington waters since the 1970s, these threats persist and jeopardize their survival.

The 1970 captures at Penn Cove led to a turning point in legislation. The public, shocked by the scale of the captures and the brutal methods, demanded action. In 1972, the Marine Mammal Protection Act was signed into law, making it illegal to take marine mammals without special permission. This law strengthened the protection of orcas, as IFLScience points out.

SeaWorld, for example, had to abandon its capture permit after an incident in 1976. This made the ban official in state waters.

An enigmatic visit for defenders of marine mammals

The appearance of the resident orcas at Penn Cove thus aroused emotion and surprise among observers in the region. This visit, unexpected after decades of avoidance, leaves room for many hypotheses.

According to Ocean Conservancy, a marine organization, the return of orcas can be explained by time and “memory” passed down between generations.

Researchers also suggest environmental causes for this return, such as the need to rest sheltered from the winds or the search for new prey. Currently, observers have not detected any hunting in the bay. Orcas prefer to explore their surroundings and observe their surroundings. This behavior, called “spy-hopping,” causes them to stand vertically out of the water to monitor their surroundings.

A declining population that inspires conservation measures

Southern Resident orcas have seen their population decline significantly in recent decades. In the 1990s there were around 100, but today there are only 72.

In July 2024, an orca from the K-Pod pod, identified as K26, was reported missing, and another calf, L-128, was recently observed to be malnourished, leading experts to considered deceased.

These losses illustrate the precariousness of this population, whose members are increasingly affected by the lack of food resources and human disturbances.

Defenders of marine mammals therefore hope that this return will mark a step in public awareness. They believe that protection efforts must continue and strengthen to allow this emblematic population to prosper.