J-32

A pregnant Orca, known as J-32, was discovered floating dead in the Pacific Northwest in the winter of 2014/15. This photograph was made during the necropsy. Data reveals a combination of starvation and toxic anthropogenic pollutants were the cause. When a whale cannot find enough food it begins to metabolize its blubber fat and, as the Northwest killer whales are among the most contaminated marine mammals in the world, the toxic chemicals enter their bloodstream causing serious illness and death. This photograph comes from an on-going series titled "Singular Observations" collecting stand-alone images, small projects and field observations often captured while traveling or working on larger projects and assignments. The images are realized as large scale exhibition prints.