Tahlequah, an endangered orca known for carrying her dead calf in 2018, has been observed carrying the body of her newborn calf since New Year's Day. Researchers are saddened by the loss and continue to monitor the situation.
By Claire Rush, Associated PressIn this photo provided by NOAA Fisheries, the orca known as J35 carries the carcass of her dead calf in the waters of Puget Sound off West Seattle, Wash., on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025.
“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,” the post said. By New Years Day, officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were able to confirm that J35 was carrying her calf’s dead body, said Brad Hanson, a research scientist with the federal agency.
Calf mortality is high: Only about 1 in 5 orca pregnancies result in a calf that lives to its first birthday, according to the Center for Whale Research. The center’s research director, Michael Weiss, estimated that only 50% of orca calves survive their first year. Other southern resident orcas have been observed carrying dead calves, Weiss said, “but certainly not for as long as J35 carried her calf in 2018.”
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