A killer whale mother who carried her dead calf for 17 days in an apparent show of grief has given birth to a new calf, scientists have said.
The orca, named Tahlequah and known to researchers as J35, had carried her dead infant for more than 1,000 miles in 2018.
But last Friday the whale was spotted travelling with a new calf in the Puget Sound waterway off the coast of Washington State, according to the Center for Whale Research.
In a Facebook post, it said a team of researchers had been able to observe the calf and confirm it is female, giving it the name J61.
But it said the team was concerned about the calf’s health “based on the behaviour of both J35 and J61”.
“Early life is always dangerous for new calves, with a very high mortality rate in the first year,” the centre said.
“J35 is an experienced mother, and we hope that she is able to keep J61 alive through these difficult early days.”
Pic: Center for Whale Research
In a post on X, the Orca Conservancy said: “The calf had also been observed being pushed around on J35’s head and was not looking lively, which is a concern.”
It noted “calf behaviour is not fully understood”.
The organisation added: “All of this serves as a reminder that in order for new calves, salmon stocks need to be recovered to levels that will help support population growth.”
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The Center for Whale Research also highlighted the importance of salmon, the whales’ main food source, saying: “The Southern Resident killer whale population needs ample access to their food supply, mainly salmon, to…
