J17, a member of the J-pod, is one of just a handful of orcas remaining in the SRKW population.

It's unclear whether Canadian officials will continue to actively look for the whale over the weekend.

"It is very rare to see J16, her mom, without J50 so the probability she is alive is very low, but we are out here looking for her," said Paul Cottrell with the DFO.

J50, who has been missing since Friday, has been declared dead by a group that tracks endangered southern resident orcas.

Researchers have launched a search for a sick whale who hasn't been seen in days.

J50, also known as Scarlet, is believed to be critically ill.

J50 had lost a great deal of weight in recent months and was lagging some distance behind her family group, struggling to keep up.

Sunday's feeding trial was an attempt to bolster her chances of survival.

Michael, Milstein of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, speaks about an international effort to help an ailing killer whale, known as J50.

After days of tracking the killer whale known as J50, Dr. Martin Haulena from the Vancouver Aquarium was finally able on Thursday to get close enough to administer of a dose of antibiotic through a dart.