Photo by Aileen Ly, courtesy of the Orca Network

K-7, one of the oldest orcas in Puget Sound, is presumed to be dead. She has not been sighted since the K pod returned in June.

FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash. - One of the oldest orcas in Puget Sound pods is missing and presumed dead.

Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research at Friday Harbor says a whale known as K-7 or Lummi has not been seen since the K pod returned in June. As the oldest female it was the leader of the 20 whales in the group.

Lummi was estimated at 98 years old based on family structure. She was a great-great-grandmother.

Balcomb told the Kitsap Sun that Lummi's daughter, known as K-11 or Georgia, will probably take over leadership in the pod.

The center says 87 whales are living in the J, K and L pods, about the same as last year's killer whale population in Puget Sound.