Young orca

(Image credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786)Scarlet, or J50, is a 3-year-old female killer whale (Orcinus orca) in poor health, but scientists are trying their best to help her. [Read more about the attempt to save this starving orca]

Peanut head

(Image credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786)Scarlet's thin form means there's a dip at the base of her skull, where she's lost fat. Experts call this "peanut head," and it's not a good sign.

Small girl

(Image credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786)Scarlet is small for her age, but in the past month she's looked particularly emaciated.

J Pod

(Image credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786)Scarlet is part of the J pod, one of three small groups of orcas within the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale subpopulation.

Family ties

(Image credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786)Scarlet's mom and sibling are also part of the J pod.

Mother and daughter

(Image credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786)Scarlet seen here, to the left of her mother, J16.

Staying close

(Image credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786)Scarlet seen here swimming with her sibling, J42.

Keep swimming

(Image credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786)Scarlet, or J50, is emaciated and weak and has trouble keeping up with her pod at times.

Following along

(Image credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786)Scarlet follows a member of her pod.

Keeping up

(Image credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786)Observers noticed that Scarlet was having trouble keeping up with her pod when the current was strong.

Falling behind

(Image credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries permit #18786)At one point, Scarlet fell behind members of her pod by almost a half mile (1 kilometer).

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