Scientists have announced that a bereaved mother whale, who made headlines after grieving over her dead baby for more than two weeks, has given birth to a new calf.
The mother orca, named J35 by researchers, was unable to let go of her calf in 2018 and carried her lifeless body on a 1,000-mile journey of grief.
But last Friday, scientists discovered a devoted mother and a new female calf in Puget Sound, a report said. facebook post From the Whale Research Center.
By Monday, scientists were confident that the new calf, called J61, belonged to J35.
A nature lover and photographer was thrilled when he realized he had captured the tiny dorsal fin of a newborn baby poking out of the water. According to CNN.
“My first reaction when I saw the calf was complete shock. As I was looking at the photos to see what the whale was that had passed near the port side of the ferry I was on, I noticed “We noticed that the image showed a smaller spine,” the source told the news agency.
“As I scrolled through the series, I realized it was a very small calf, much smaller than any known calf in the group. The size and color of the calf suggested that it was a new calf. “I found myself traveling with J35, a calf and my spark whale, the one that started my obsession,” they said.
Newborn calves need their mother's help to survive the first few weeks of life, which are dangerous for baby whales.
“For newborn calves, mortality in the first year of life is very high and always a risk. We hope we can continue,” the Whale Research Center’s Facebook post said.
The baby whale was seen being pushed around by its mother on Tuesday and did not appear to be in good health, but the government says the behavior of baby whales is not well understood. Post to X From the Orca Sanctuary.
Scientists said access to salmon, the whale's main food source, is essential to the large mammal's survival.
“Each birth is important and these whales need enough fish to support themselves and their calves,” the Whale Research Center's Facebook post said.
This is the second baby J35 has given birth to since she famously lost another baby in 2018. In 2020, J35 was also spotted with another newborn.
The mother whale is part of an endangered whale pod that lives in the Pacific Northwest and roams the Pacific Ocean between Washington state and British Columbia.
Killer whales have strong social bonds and continue to help their young even after they grow up. According to researchers.
As of December 2023, there were 75 members of the whale J pod, according to whale researchers who have been monitoring whale pods since the 1970s.
