News that delighted scientists. Tahlequah, also known as “J35,” a female orca known for carrying the remains of her newborn for 17 days 1,000 miles in 2018, recently gave birth to a new calf. Mother and son were first seen swimming with Group J on December 20 in the Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest near Washington state.
Alerted to the arrival of a new calf in the group, researchers from the Center for Whale Research (CWR) collected more information on December 23. Their observations “allow them to attribute with more certainty the parentage of the calf to J35 and to give it the alphanumeric designation J61,” they wrote on Facebook. In addition, the team which was able to photograph the underside of the calf affirms that it is a female.
This birth is excellent news, as the population of Southern Resident Killer Whales is “one of the most seriously endangered populations of marine mammals in the United States,” the researchers point out. “Every birth counts and these whales need enough fish (especially salmon) to meet their needs and those of their young,” recalls the CWR which pleads for a reconstitution of stocks by removing dams and better controlling the overfishing in particular.
The team of researchers who observed the orcas were concerned about the calf's health “due to the behavior of J35 and J61.” “The start of life is always dangerous for new calves, with a very high mortality rate during the first year,” she explains.
“The calf was also observed being pushed on J35's head and did not appear lively, which is concerning,” points out Orca Conservancy on X. A worrying gesture even if the calf's behavior “ is not fully understood.” While J35 is an experienced mother – she gave birth to J57 in 2020 – CWR hopes she will be able to keep J61 alive during these difficult first days. And not to relive what had been considered an “exceptionally long” mourning for an orca six years ago.
