A60 Fife

A60 "Fife". Photo provided by Rebecca Scott

### Nieces & Nephews

Corky II's Calf (1977), Spooky, Corky II's Stillborn (1980), Kiva, Corky II's Calf (1985), Corky II's Miscarriage (1986), Corky II's Miscarriage (1987), A63, A69 "Midsummer", A87, A97 "Kalect"

### Cousins

A61 "Surge"

A60 "Fife" (*pronounced FAIF*) is a 31-year-old male Northern Resident Killer Whale.

## Early Life

Fife was born in 1992 to A23 "Stripe", and was her final calf. He was named after Fife Sound on the coast of British Columbia. His older siblings are Corky II, who was estimated to have been born in 1964, and was captured for display in 1969, A21 born in 1967, A27 "Okisollo" born in 1972, A29 born in 1977, and A43 "Ripple" who was born 1981.

Fife and kin were featured in a 2001 PBS documentary titled *Realm of the Killer Whales*, where they were featured in a segment documenting the rubbing beaches the Northern Residents are known to visit. The segment was filmed in 1998/1999 before the passing of Stripe in 2000, and Okisollo in 2003.

### Vessel Strike

In July of 2003, Fife was seen with several deep wounds on the right side of his body from getting struck by a vessel. By 2015, Fife's injuries have subsequently healed save for scarring still visible on his right saddle patch.

## Current Life

Fife is regarded as quite the character and as a distinctive member within his community. He and his surviving kin often travel with the A25s, the A42s, and members of the A4 Pod as well.

In January of 2021, the A23s returned to the Broughton Archipelago. According to field researchers, the A23s hadn't visted the area in over 20 years prior to that sighting. Whilst there, it was found Fife had a new grand-nephew/niece through Midsummer, who was subsequently named Ne'nakw, which means "to return home" in Kwak'wala, the language spoken by First Nations in the area. Later in the summer of 2021, the A23s and the A42s, were seen again in the summer, at Strider Rubbing Beach.

## Family

### Extended family

His older sister, 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, living at SeaWorld San Diego. Through Ripple, Fife is the uncle to A63 born 1995, and A69 "Midsummer" born 1997. He is also the grand-uncle to Midsummer's calves, A95 "Fern" born 2009, A109 "Eliot" born 2014, and A126 "Ne'nakw" born 2021.

Fife's paternal heritage was revealed in 2001 where genetic testing revealed R3 "Nigei" was his father. Through Nigei, he is further related to R2 "Bonilla" who is his paternal grandmother, R12 "Kitlope", a paternal uncle, and R6 "Camaano" a grand-uncle. Nigei also was revealed as the father of A26 "Foster", and A56 "Nahwitti". Fife's grand-uncle Camaano fathered C8 "Lama", while Kitlope fathered A61 "Surge".

Nigei and his mother's matriline died out in 2017 with the passing of Kitlope and the lack of females. Nahwitti has gone on to mother two calves of her own, A87 born in 2007, and A97 "Kalect" who was born in 2010. Sadly, both her calves have since passed in 2007 and 2014 respectively. Fife has living relatives through Lama as she has gone on to have six calves and two grand-calves.

## Galleries

* **Photos** of A60 Fife
* **Videos** of A60 Fife

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Towers, J. R. (2020). Photo-identification catalogue and status of the northern resident killer whale population in 2019 / by Jared R. Towers, James F. Pilkington, Brian Gisborne, Brianna M. Wright, Graeme M. Ellis, John K. B. Ford, and Thomas Doniol-Valcroze. Government of Canada. https://science-catalogue.canada.ca/record=b4087701%7ES6
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Vancouver Aquarium, *The Blackfish Sounder*, no. 9, 2001.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Vancouver Aquarium, *The Blackfish Sounder*, no. 12, 2004.
4. ↑ Fife's WDC Profile
5. ↑ 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/
6. ↑ 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
7. ↑ OrcaLab. (2021, September 6). OrcaLab [Facebook post]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/OrcaLabBC/posts/4324076470961269
8. ↑ Killer Whales of B.C. (2018, November 28). Northern Resident Update [Facebook status]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/NorthernResidents/posts/pfbid0xm6Mvs5bZUDLRayc1wWGVNqmu6qPZ2nES7w4g4wac1XtX1J48qgaKMKSjWZ3wp33l