Pacific killer whale mother made heading After carrying the carcass of a dead calf for more than two weeks in 2018, researchers observed her carrying the carcass of her latest calf, appearing to be in mourning again.
The female orca, nicknamed J35 or Tahlequah by scientists, drew sympathy from wildlife enthusiasts after she was seen frantically lifting the carcass of a baby off the coast of Victoria, British Columbia, about seven years ago. Ta.
Researchers grieved alongside Tahlequah, who carried the baby's body on her head for at least 17 days and nearly 1,000 miles. Biologist and wildlife conservationist Jeff Corwin called This is a “period of mourning” and Deborah Giles, the nonprofit's director of wild orca research, said it is “deeply concerning.” [her] health and mental well-being. ”
Years after Tahlequah's incredibly moving grieving process went viral and made international headlines, she has given birth again.
In 2020, she I gave birth safely The male calf, called J57 or “Phoenix,” defied expectations. survivedAccording to the killer whale conservation group.
Tahlequah made headlines again in December 2024 when she gave birth to a female calf named J61, but sadly the new calf passed away And the mother orca is once again performing a memorial service. new york times Reported.
Brad Hanson, a researcher at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, Washington, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), told the publication: “We've lost another one and it's hard to see her.'' “It's becoming very difficult,” he said.
According to Killer Whales, these animals are part of the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) group, a genetically and culturally distinct population of orcas that live in the Pacific Northwest region. It is said to be composed of three separate “pods” (J, K, and L). protection.
The total population of SRKW is just 73 people, according to the nonprofit organization.
The Whale Research Center, which announced the news of J61's birth just a few weeks ago, posted a sad update on social media.
New Year’s Eve 2024 was a day of highs and lows. It has been confirmed that there is another calf in the J Pod, but unfortunately…
Posted by Cetacean Research Center above Wednesday, January 1, 2025
“While the death of any calf in the SRKW population is a huge loss, J61's death is particularly shocking, not only because she was a female but also because she had the potential to one day lead her own maternal line. “But considering the mother's history, J35 has now lost two of her four recorded calves, both of which were females,” researchers at the center wrote on Facebook. Ta. “The entire team at the Whale Research Center is deeply saddened by this news. We will continue to provide updates as best we can.”
“In the last few years, we've realized that we have the same neurotransmitters as them,” said Joe Gaydos, scientific director of the SeaDoc Society at the University of California, Davis. new york post.
“We have the same hormones as them. Shouldn't we have the emotions that they have? We don't have a market cornered by emotions. So, is she sad? , I think it's fair to say I'm saddened.”
