Photo: NOAA

A wildlife biologist says an ailing killer whale off the West Coast is "slogging along" with her pod mates, at times unable to keep up.

A veterinarian was able to dart J50 with a broad spectrum antibiotic last Thursday, but Brad Hanson, a U.S. government fisheries biologist, says she still appears tired and was even moving backwards with the current when they saw her over the weekend.

The emaciated whale is part of the endangered southern resident population that has just 75 members remaining and both Canadian and American experts are taking unprecedented action to help the young orca recover.

Hanson says the three-and-a-half-year-old whale isn't taking part in socialization common to these whales such as splashing, playing and jumping.

However, he says they are encouraged that she appears interested in hunting for chinook salmon along with members of her pod, even though they haven't seen her eat.

Hanson says they were also able test out a feeding experiment with members of the Lummi Nation who released about eight chinook salmon right in front of J50, but they didn't see her take any of those fish.