Scientists say these cetaceans are one of the most intelligent animal breeds in the world, with complex social behaviors including self-awareness and suffering.
Published on 01/03/2025 2:47 p.m.
Updated on 03/01/2025 3:26 p.m.
Reading time: 2min
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 on D35 in 2018 where 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 it with her mouth, according to American media. “This is a very tragic time of mourning.”» Research Center founder Ken Balcomb told public broadcaster NPR.
The loss of a new calf is “particularly devastating”depending on the center. Tahlequah has now lost two of her four registered calves. The Tahlequah orca pod was also joined by another newborn, the Center notes. “The sex of the calf is not yet known”plus “the calf appears physically and behaviorally normal”according to the researchers. Scientists say these cetaceans are among the most intelligent animals in the world and exhibit 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, about 70 animals in total. Their numbers are declining due to a combination of factors, including reductions in the number of their prey, as well as noise and disturbance caused by vessels, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
