This drawing was done as a memorial for a much loved local hero named Ruffles. He was last seen in November of last year so it has been accepted that he has passed away at approximately sixty years of age. Two things made this animal exceptional; his unique "ruffled" dorsal fin and the fact that he lived twice as long as most adult male orcas. Orcas hold toxins and pollution in their blubber and since humans have been dumping waste into the oceans for well over 100 years, you can imagine why these animals are endangered. Typically, a female's first born calf dies because her store of blubber goes to feed the baby. The level of toxins, built up from her infancy, kills the calf. However, due to this "flushing" of toxins, subsequent calves do well and the mother's lifespan is increased. RIP Ruffles.