An orca that made the news in 2018 after her carried her dead calf She gave birth again on her head for more than two weeks and at a distance of 1,600 kilometers, according to the Center for Whale Research.
The orca calf was spotted a few days ago in the Puget Sound area near Washington state. On Tuesday, the center determined that J35, also known as Tahlequah, was the baby’s mother. The calf, a girl, was designated J61.
However, it’s not all good news for mother and baby.
“The team, including several experienced orca researchers, has raised concerns about the health of the calf based on the behavior of both J35 and J61,” the Center for Whale Research wrote in a Facebook post. “Early life is always dangerous for new calves, with a very high mortality rate in the first year. J35 is an experienced mother and we hope she can keep J61 alive in these difficult early days.”
The organization, which monitors orca populations in the southern Pacific Northwest, did not specify what prompted the concern. The Seattle-based Orca Conservancy wrote on social media that researchers believe the calf was born prematurely. Orca Conservancy said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was able to spend time with the calf on the water and that they observed the baby “remaining submerged for extended periods of time, indicative of nursing or attempts at nursing.”
“The calf was also observed being pushed onto J35’s head and did not appear lively, which is concerning, but the calf’s behavior is also not fully understood,” Orca Conservancy wrote.
Tahlequah too to suit to a calf in 2020. Experts called it big news at the time, because up to 70% of orca pregnancies end in miscarriage or a calf dying shortly after birth.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, southern resident killer whales such as Tahlequah are the only endangered population of killer whales in the US. The 2020 summer census counted only 72 orcas living in the south, although several calves have been born since the census. Although a recovery plan was completed in 2008, the population continues to struggle and has declined by more than 10% since 2005.
“The Southern killer whale population needs adequate access to their food supply, especially salmon, to survive and thrive,” the Center for Whale Research wrote in a Facebook post. “Every birth counts and these whales need enough fish to support themselves and their calves. We continue to advocate for salmon recovery through habitat restoration, dam removal and rational management of fisheries in the Pacific Northwest.”
