(CNN) Scientists are worried another orca whale may be dead, and that may spell trouble for a group of whales that live off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. The whale, named L41, was not with his family when researchers encountered them off Washington's coast last week. If L41 is not just missing, but in fact dead, that would bring the population of Southern Resident orcas to just 72 whales. L41 was significant to the Southern Resident population because he and one other male, J1, fathered a majority of the whales born since 1990. J1 fathered 16 whales, and L41 fathered 20 whales, according to NOAA.

Source: CNN January 30, 2020 06:45 UTC