Tahlequah, the killer whale who captured global attention in 2018 for carrying her dead calf for 17 days, has given birth again. Researchers at the Center for Whale Research observed the newborn girl, designated J61, on Monday.
J61 is Tahlequah’s third surviving calf, following J47 (“Notch,” born in 2010) and J57 (“Phoenix,” born in 2020). Tahlequah, identified as J35, belongs to the J-pod, part of the endangered Southern Resident orca population that inhabits waters between Washington and British Columbia. Only about 73 orcas remain across three pods, with numbers declining annually.
The Center for Whale Research expressed concern about the high mortality rate for calves in their first year and hopes Tahlequah’s experience will help J61 survive. Baby orcas face threats from contaminants passed through mothers’ milk, dwindling food supplies, and pollution.
Southern Resident orcas, classified as endangered, struggle with additional challenges such as fishing net entanglement and human interference. Toxins from industrial chemicals accumulate in their food chain and fat stores, compounding health risks.
The Southern Resident population has declined significantly, with projections suggesting fewer than two dozen may remain within this century. Efforts to reverse this trend include a 2018 executive order by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, establishing a task force to protect the species.
Globally, an estimated 50,000 killer whales remain, but the Southern Resident pod’s plight highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts to secure their future.
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