Nellie Juan (AB17)

Nellie Juan is an adult female and was first photographed in 1979. She has three surviving offspring, Zaikof (AB35) an adult male, Eshamy (AB43) an adult male born during the winter of 1987-1988 and Irish (AB54), juvenile that was born in 1998 and we believe to be a female. These whales are nearly always seen traveling together near the other members of their pod (AB pod) which currently includes 29 whales. We estimate that Nellie Juan is at about 52 years old (in 2009) at the end of her calf bearing years, although she may live to age 60 or older. She is about 22 feet long and probably weighs over 3 tons. AB pod was one of the first pods photographed in the Sound with pictures dating back to 1979. In 1985 and 1986 AB pod began taking fish off the hooks of blackcod fishermen. Some whales were bullet wounded by shots from angry fishermen. Nellie Juan received wounds in 1985 but has apparently recovered. Since that time the shooting has stopped due to regulations that we helped to create and we have not seen new wounds. After the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 many members of this pod of then 36 whales disappeared. Two of Nellie Juan's offspring (AB13 and AB20) died after the spill. In spring 2009 we saw Nellie Juan and her three offspring feeding on salmon in Hinchinbrook Entrance. Although her sons are adults, they will stay with their mother for life, except when they occasionally join with other pods and breed with females in that pod. Nellie Juan appeared healthy and active despite her advancing years and we hope to see her for years to come...

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