Annual reports from NOAA and the Center for Whale Research

Endangered Orca Tahlequah Carries Dead Calf J61 Again, Amid Birth of J62 and Population of 73

Jan 3, 2025, 06:00 AM

The orca known as Tahlequah, or J35, part of the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale population, has been observed carrying the body of her deceased female calf, J61, in the waters off Seattle. This behavior, which researchers interpret as mourning, echoes a similar incident in 2018 when Tahlequah carried her dead calf for 17 days over more than 1,000 miles. The recent calf, J61, was born on December 24 but died shortly after, with concerns about its health noted by researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Center for Whale Research (CWR). The death of J61 is particularly devastating as she was a female, potentially capable of contributing to the population's future. Amidst this tragedy, there is some hope with the birth of another calf, J62, within the same pod, though its sex remains unconfirmed. The Southern Resident Killer Whales, numbering only 73, face challenges including a scarcity of their primary prey, Chinook salmon, pollution, and vessel noise, pushing them closer to extinction.