Famous mother killer whale carries dead baby for 2nd time

A mother killer whale, famous for carrying the lifeless body of her calf for 17 days in 2018, was recently observed doing the same thing, after the death of her last calf.

The death of the female calf, designated J61, was noted on December 31 by scientists from Center for Whale Research (CWR). The organization, based in Washington state, made the announcement in a statement on social media the following day.

The death of any calf in the Southern Resident orca population is a huge loss, but the death of J61 is particularly devastatingdeclared the organization.

Not only because she was a female, who could have one day led her own matrilineage, but also because of the history of her mother, J35, who lost two of her four documented calves, both being female.

J61 was first observed on December 20, swimming in Puget Sound with group J, alongside a female orca known as J35 or Tahlequah.

On December 24, the CWR had indicated, in a publication, that the behavior of the mother and the calf raised concerns about the well-being of the little one.

She seemed to be pushing her little one with her head […] It was perhaps still viable, but in difficultyexplains Brad Hanson, researcher at the American Oceanic and Atmospheric Observation Agency (NOAA).

Even after the calf's death was confirmed a week later, the mother orca continued to demonstrate this behavior, which worried researchers.

She seems to be spending a lot of energy caring for the little one she lost. We are concerned about the potential impacts [sur sa santé]

Another birth, another hope

This sad news comes as scientists from CWR confirm the birth of another killer whale in group J. The latter would have been born between December 24 and 30.

In a social media post Wednesday, the organization described New Year's Eve as a day of extreme highs and lows.

The newborn, who seems robust and healthyaccording to the first observations of scientists, gives some hope for the population of southern resident killer whales, which is listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.

The new calf observed was named J62. At the moment, researchers say they don't know much more about it.

The calf was among several females during the encounter, so additional observations are needed to verify the identity of the mother. The sex of the calf is not yet known, but the team reports that the calf appeared to have normal physique and behavior. indicated the CWR.

Scientists are enthusiastic, but remain cautious. No new calves from group J survived in 2023.

The main obstacle to their survival is the first year. It's always dangerous for a young person, but it's definitely this first year.

Southern Resident Killer Whales, which live in the waters of the Pacific Northwest, off the coasts of British Columbia and Washington State.

Their number was 73 individuals during the last census of CWR carried out in July 2024.