'Prolific' killer whale matriarch presumed dead after nearly a year without a sighting
An orca matriarch known as "one of the most prolific female killer whales" on record is presumed dead after nearly a year without a sighting on the West Coast, according to B.C. researchers.
!['Prolific' killer whale matriarch presumed dead after nearly a year without a sighting](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7074034.1704348057!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/t46-wake.jpg)
![The transient killer whale known as T46 or Wake is shown during her last sighting, near Alert Bay, B.C. Feb. 20, 2023. The dorsal fin of a killer whale sticks out above the water.](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7074034.1704348057!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/t46-wake.jpg)
An orca matriarch known as "one of the most prolific female killer whales" on record is presumed dead after nearly a year without a sighting on the West Coast, according to B.C. researchers.