A dead orca thought to be a juvenile was recently discovered 25 miles off the coast of Newport, Oregon (United States) with crab pot line wrapped around its tail. Estimated to be between 5-12 years of age based on its length, the whale was spotted by fishermen and is the first record of an orca being entangled in fishing gear on the Oregon coast.
Without the body being recovered and a necropsy being conducted, the specific cause of death cannot be confirmed. The orca is thought to be floating north and unlikely to come ashore.
The youngster may have been part of a transient population, known to visit the shoreline of Oregon to feast on seal pups, taking advantage of the increased availability of prey.
