A126 Ne'nakw

A109 "Eliot", A126 "Ne'nakw" and A69 "Midsummer". Coastal Rainforest Safaris (Facebook), 2023.

## Family

### Aunts and Uncles

*A63*, Corky II, *A21*, *A27 "Okisollo"*, *A29*, A60 "Fife"

### Cousins

*Unnamed calf (1977)*, *Spooky*, *Stillborn (1980)*, *Kiva*, *Unnamed calf (1985)*, *Miscarriage (1986)*, *Miscarriage (1987)*

**A126 "Ne'nakw"** is a 2 year old Northern Resident killer whale of an unknown sex.

## History

### Early Life

A126 "Ne'nakw" was born to A69 "Midsummer" in 2021 and is her third known calf, born after A95 "Fern (born 2009) and A109 "Eliot" (born 2014). Alongside their mother and siblings, Ne'nakw travels with their grandmother, A43 "Ripple" and grand-uncle, A60 "Fife".
They were first sighted in the Broughton Archipelago, an area that researchers note the A23s haven't visited in over 20 years. Amongst their family members, Ne'nakw was noted to be very young by those documenting the sighting and was believed to have been less than a week old at the time. The young one was also named for the occasion, with their name "Ne'nakw" meaning "to return home" in Kwak'wala, the language spoken by First Nations in the area.
In a late August 2022 sighting, Ocean Wise Research via their Instagram showcased a reel of Ne'nakw swimming with his mother whilst being mobbed by a pair of Pacific White-Sided dolphins. In the reel, Ne'nakw briefly reveals their underside and may be a young male calf. However, no official confirmation of this exists as of September 2023.
## Family tree

### Relatives in Captivity

Ne'nakw's grand-aunt, Corky II, was captured in Pender Harbor, December 1969. As a result, the two have never met. Whilst in captivity, she concieved seven calves, all dying young with the longest living reaching 47 days old. Corky currently remains in captivity as the only surviving Northern Resident killer whale in captivity and as the oldest living killer whale in human care. She remains at SeaWorld San Diego.
## Gallery

### Photographs

A126 "Ne'nakw" ID image. Photo by B. Wright via NRKW Identification App, 2022.A126 "Ne'nakw" ID image. Photo by G. Sutton via NRKW Identification App, 2023.A126 "Ne'nakw" swimming with Dalls Porpoises. Ocean Wise Research Instagram, January 2022.A69 "Midsummer" and newborn A126 "Ne'nakw". Jared Towers, January 2021.A69 "Midsummer" and newborn A126 "Ne'nakw". Jared Towers, January 2021.A43 "Ripple" and A126 "Ne'nakw". Jared Towers, January 2021.
*See more*
A69 "Midsummer", A126 "Ne'nakw", and A43 "Ripple". Jared Towers, January 2021.A60 "Fife", A126 "Ne'nakw", and A69 "Midsummer". Jared Towers, January 2021.A109 "Eliot", A126 "Ne'nakw" and A69 "Midsummer". Coastal Rainforest Safaris (Facebook), 2023.The whole A23s matriline as of 2023. OrcaLab, 2023.A43 "Ripple", A126 "Ne'nakw", A69 "Midsummer", A109 "Eliot", and A60 "Fife". OrcaLab, 2023.A95 "Fern", A69 "Midsummer", A43 "Ripple" and A126 "Ne'nakw". Orcalab, August 2023.I106 "Cultus", A60 "Fife" and A126 "Ne'nakw". Oliver Hauseman, August 2023.I51 "Naka", A126 "Ne'nakw", and A60 "Fife". Eagle Eye Photography, August 2023.A126 "Ne'nakw" breaching. Cetus Research & Conservation Society, August 2023.A126 "Ne'nakw", A95 "Fern", and A60 "Fife". Valérie B Messier, September 2023.

### Videos

A69 "Midsummer" and A126 "Ne'nakw" being mobbed by Pacific White-Sided dolphins. Ocean Wise Research Instagram, August 2022.

A126 "Ne'Nakw" tail-slapping next to their older brother, A95 "Fern". Otter Whisperer via Facebook, August 2023.

A126 "Ne'Nakw" breaching. Otter Whisperer via Facebook, August 2023.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ducklow, Z. (2021, January 9). First orca baby of the year in B.C. named Ne’nakw. North Island Gazette. https://www.northislandgazette.com/news/first-orca-baby-of-the-year-in-b-c-named-nenakw/?fbclid=IwAR2EFUYbYPHud\_IW1U99bZeTHEb2\_e3hqt7SPU5sPKG4iduhrFRnZWHEClc
2. ↑ NRKW Photo-ID app
3. ↑ Ducklow, Z. (2021, January 9). Orca pod returns to the Broughton Archipelago. North Island Gazette. https://www.northislandgazette.com/news/long-lost-north-island-orca-pod-returns-for-first-time-in-more-than-20-years/
4. ↑ Ocean Wise Research
5. ↑ Corky's Capture
6. ↑ Meet Corky, the Longest-Held Orca in Captivity