Atwood is an amicable elder central to the social structure of Unit A whose birth year is unknown. She is the ‘A’ after which the social group is named, as in Atwood’s Unit.  This matriarch is a frequent and favored caretaker within the family and exudes an air of quiet confidence and equanimity. 

We documented her nursing a weeks-old male calf in November, 2021, who we believed to be her offspring. Unfortunately the tiny calf did not survive through the following year.

In the years prior to being engrossed in the responsibilities of raising a newborn calf, Atwood was often seen accompanying youngsters Aurora, Accra, and Ariel. A very relaxed guardian, she frequently swam with two or three calves in tow, steadily emitting streams of clicks and codas. We nearly always observe this calm, mellow whale in the company of multiple members of her group.

In addition to being congenial within her group, Atwood has also been cooperative with researchers. During one swim-along encounter, she intentionally slowed her pace to maintain eye contact and stopped to assume a vertical position directly below us for several moments. On many occasions she has been seen swimming with a slack jaw and loosely open mouth.

In 2022, Atwood maintained her relaxed demeanor among our researchers as she approached within feet of us in the company of family members. Despite having been tagged by CETI, she leisurely swam close enabling us to capture imagery for identification. At one point she and Lady Oracle were filmed swimming side-by-side with their mouths open and Atwood’s tag marks on full display.