Bare Facts: Male ~ Born est.1951 ~ Mother ?Granny? ~ Father Unknown ~ Children Unknown ~ ID 6 ft tall, extremely wavy fin

Ruffles, much like his constant companion Granny, is very well known in the orca community. He is one of the oldest known male orcas in the world, and he's so distinctive everyone can recognize him!
Researchers estimate that Ruffles was born around 1951. However, he could have been born much earlier. That birth-date was based on the fact that Ruffles was a fully grown male when the study started in 1976, and therefore at least 20 years old. So he's at least 50 years old!
There is much debate amongst orca-lovers as to who Ruffles' mother is. It may be Granny, the female he is usually seen next to, or it may be another whale who died before the study started. Granny and Ruffles are related somehow; the ID book says they are brother and sister, but there is strong support for them being mother and son.
Either way, they grew up together. By the time Ruffles was born, Granny already had her first daughter, Sissy. The small family traveled for many years. Ruffles approached maturity, and his small calf's fin began to sprout, growing rapidly into the humongous fin he's so well-known for.
Just as Ruffles fully matured, his fin reaching its gigantic height of 6 ft tall (!), his sister/niece Sissy gave birth to her first known calf, a small male named Canuck.
In 1968, Ruffles, already full grown (or almost), was captured at Bainbridge Island, along with his family. Although Ruffles avoided being captured, probably because he was too large and too old, two young males were taken to US Navy, where one would escape and one would later die. Only a few years later, Ruffles would once again evade capture, but once again lose family to the aquaria.
In 1972, the family was once again captured. Sissy and her calf Canuck were quickly separated.
Trapped in the nets, Canuck was taken away to SeaWorld San Diego. Thankfully, he was the only whale taken in that case. Ruffles and the rest of his family were luckily released, and resumed lives in the open ocean.
You would think these negative experiences would make Ruffles wary of boats and people, but he has become a frequent visitor of whale-watching boats, showing his magnificence to many awe-struck tourists.
Two years after their capture, Sissy gave birth to daughter Samish. Around the same time, researchers came onto the scene, and Ruffles became the first identified southern resident. 30 years later, he's still a favourite!
In 1987, little Samish had her own son, Capricorn. Sadly the little calf only survived 4 years. But it wouldn't be long before the family was pestered by a little calf. In 1995, she had her second son, Riptide. Only a year later, Granny lost her daughter when Sissy disappeared.
Years passed without change as Riptide grew up. Ruffles followed Granny at the head of the pod. Then, in 2001 and 2004, two more calves joined the family with the births of Samish's daughters Hy'Shqa and Suttles.
Now, Ruffles spends most of his time near Granny. Samish and her calves spend a lot of time with the other calves and mothers in the pod, but occasionally they show up with the two older whales. Ruffles also has lots of fun playing with the other "boys", and now that Riptide is sprouting, he can be found playing with the young male.
Ruffles is now over 50 years old, the oldest male in the community, and let's hope he stays that way for many years to come!