This week, the Center for Whale Research confirmed the birth of a new Southern Resident Killer Whale calf, but sadly they also discovered another recent J pod calf had died.
The female calf, identified as J61, was seen having its dead body being pushed around by its mother J35 (also known as Tahlequah) near Vancouver Island.
Researchers with the Center of Whale Research have seen this behaviour before and believe it to be a form of mourning, and sadly, this is not the first time J35 has displayed this behaviour.
In 2018, she lost another one of her calves shortly after it was born. When this occurred, J35 was seen pushing the dead body of her calf for 17 days.
“The death of any calf in the SRKW population is a tremendous loss, but the death of J61 is particularly devastating, not just because she was a female, who could have one day potentially led her own matriline but also given the history of her mother J35 who has now lost two out of four documented calves – both of which were female,” said the Center for Whale Research.
“The entire team at the Center for Whale Research is deeply saddened by this news and we will continue to provide updates when we can.”
Researchers will continue to watch J35 and through further observation, better understand this tragic behaviour pattern in Southern Resident Killer Whales.
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With this loss and the birth of another calf, J62, the Center for Whale Research has determined there are only 73 Southern Residents remaining.
Orcas die in a number of different ways, but their deaths can often be attributed to human activity, including the dwindling availability of the salmon prey they depend on, vessel impacts and pollutants that collect in their bodies.
