A new calf has been born to Tahlequah, a Southern Resident killer whale, raising hopes for the endangered population. The Center for Whale Research is closely monitoring the calf's health and the mother's behavior.
A new calf, designated as J61, was first seen traveling with the Southern Resident killer whale J pod on Friday. The Center for Whale Research (CWR) said multiple encounters and observations have allowed the organization to determine both the calf's mother and sex. The calf's mother is Tahlequah, who gained international attention in 2018 when she carried her deceased calf for 17 days.
The CWR team observing J61, which includes multiple experienced killer whale researchers, said Tuesday it is concerned about the calf's health because of the behavior of both the mother and young orca. The CWR said because Tahlequah is an experienced mother, the team has hope that she can keep her new calf alive through the difficult early days. The CWR said, 'The Southern Resident killer whale population needs ample access to their food supply, mainly salmon, to survive and thrive. Every single birth counts and these whales need enough fish to be able to support themselves and their calves.' The Southern Resident killer population is comprised of three stable social groups, named the J, K, and L pods, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). While most orcas eat marine mammals and squid, the endangered Southern Resident killer whales only eat fish—primarily Chinook salmon. The CWR said it determined the new calf recently born was a female after photographing the calf's underside. The organization's policy is to 'wait for three consecutive encounters without a whale's sighting alongside its family' before it considers it missing or presumed dead. “This population needs every new addition it can get, and the loss of a calf is always tragic,” the CWR wrote. “For L90 in particular, the loss of her first documented live-born calf would be a major blow.” The Southern Resident population has shown an overall declining trend since 1995, falling from 98 whales to 73 whales as of December 2021, and is federally listed as endangered in the U.S
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