Scientists say whales are one of the most intelligent animal races in the world, with complex social behavior, including self-awareness and suffering.
Published on 03/01/2025 14:47
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A female orca has again been observed carrying the body of her dead calf, seven years after she had similar behavior with another of her calves. According to the Washington State-based Whale Research Center, the endangered orca, named Tahlequah and also known as J35, was spotted Wednesday off the coast of Seattle carrying her dead female calf.
“This behavior had already been observed in J35 in 2018 when she carried the body of her deceased calf for 17 days”wrote the research center on the social network Instagram Thursday January 2. She was then seen sometimes pushing the remains with her nose and other times grabbing him with her mouth, according to American media. “It’s a very tragic time of mourning.”declared the founder of the Research Center, Ken Balcomb, to the public channel NPR at the time.
The loss of a new calf is “particularly devastating”depending on the center. Tahlequah has now lost two of its four recorded calves. The group of Tahlequah orcas was also joined by another newborn, notes the Center. “The sex of the calf is not yet known”more “the calf appears physically and behaviorally normal”according to the researchers. Scientists say whales are among the most intelligent animals in the world, exhibiting complex social behavior, including self-awareness and suffering.
Tahlequah and her pod are Southern Resident orcas, a population listed as endangered in the United States. The Southern Resident orcas are one of the resident orca communities in the Pacific Northwest. There are only three groups, around 70 animals in total. Their numbers are declining due to a combination of factors, including reductions in the number of their prey, and noise and disturbance caused by vessels, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
