An endangered orca from the Pacific Northwest, known as Tahlequah or J35, is once again capturing international attention due to her heartbreaking display of grief following the death of her new calf. This situation echoes a similar incident from 2018, when she garnered worldwide sympathy for carrying her deceased calf for over two weeks, according to the Center for Whale Research based in Washington.
Since Wednesday, researchers have observed J35 carrying her dead female calf’s body. The Center for Whale Research shared their sorrow about the loss on their social media, expressing their commitment to provide updates about the situation as they arise.
Back in 2018, J35 was witnessed carrying her deceased calf for an astonishing 17 days, managing to support it over a stretch of more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers). The calf had passed away shortly after birth, and members of J35’s pod were observed taking turns to transport the lifeless body as a display of their close-knit social bonds.
Approximately two weeks prior to this latest incident, researchers had become aware of J35’s new calf. However, on Christmas Eve, concerns began to arise regarding the calf’s health, prompted by observations of both the calf’s behavior and J35’s actions. By New Year’s Day, researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed that J35 was once again carrying the lifeless body of her newborn calf, as stated by research scientist Brad Hanson.
Hanson shared that he had the chance to observe J35’s actions from a boat. He noted that she would drape the calf across her snout or on her head and would dive to retrieve it whenever the body sank beneath the surface. The calf’s life was tragically short, enduring only a few days after birth.
Joe Gaydos, science director at SeaDoc at the University of California, Davis, commented on the profound mourning J35 appears to be experiencing. He noted that similar grieving behaviors are often seen in other intelligent and socially connected species such as dolphins and primates.
Orca calf mortality rates are alarmingly high; the Center for Whale Research estimates that only about 20% of pregnancies lead to calves that survive their first year of life. The research director, Michael Weiss, has indicated that merely half of all orca calves reach their first anniversary.
For J35, the loss of her calf is particularly tragic—not only because the young orca may have contributed to bolstering an already vulnerable population, but also because J35 has now endured the loss of two out of four calves she has had documented.
The population of southern resident killer whales, comprising three pods of fish-eating orcas that inhabit the waters between Washington and British Columbia, has faced a significant decline over the past several decades, now numbering just 73. These whales face numerous challenges, including a dwindling supply of Chinook salmon, pollution, and disruptive vessel noise, all of which can severely impact their hunting capabilities. Researchers have raised alarms about their precarious status, suggesting they may be on the verge of extinction.
While J35’s heartbreaking experience is most prominently featured, Weiss pointed out that while other southern resident orcas have exhibited similar behaviors with their deceased calves, none have shown the same extended period of mourning as J35 did in 2018. However, there is some encouraging news, as officials have confirmed the presence of another new calf, J62, which is alive and healthy.
The southern resident orca population is classified as endangered and stands apart from other killer whales due to their diet that focuses solely on salmon, rather than marine mammals. Each individual whale is identified by unique patterns or fin shapes and is assigned a corresponding number and name. Often traveling in matrilineal groups, these orcas can be spotted frolicking around Puget Sound, even with the iconic Seattle skyline in the background.
