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J-Pod orca calf in WA believed to be dead.
The Center for Whale Research has announced some sad news. They believe a baby orca named J #64 is most likely dead.
A group of whale researchers monitoring the Southern Resident J Pod believe a new baby orca, J64, is most likely dead.
According to the Center for Whale Research, the team headed out after receiving reports of J Pod traveling north at the south end of Swanson Channel in Canadian waters northwest of the San Juan Islands. The team was eager to check on the status of J42's new calf, J64.
Researchers spotted the whales near Village Bay and began taking identification photos of those present. They said J16, J26 and J42 were swimming a couple dozen yards northwest of the larger group.
What they're saying:
"We found J42 and held the camera trigger down while waiting for J64 to pop up behind her," the Center for Whale Research wrote in a Facebook post. "Unfortunately, J64 did not surface after J42. We hoped it was nursing or something, but we kept seeing J42 surface repeatedly, and there was no calf with her."
After seeing J42 complete several long dives without the calf surfacing, the team concluded that J64 likely did not survive.
"We kept taking photos of the whole group hoping J64 was playing with other whales," the group wrote. "However, there was no sign of the newest calf even though we kept seeing J62 and J63."
What's next:
The Center for Whale Research said J64 is most likely deceased but will continue to monitor future encounters. Standard protocol is to confirm a whale's death after three consecutive sightings in which it is not present.
Researchers said this was J42's first confirmed calf, and that mortality rates for calves born to first-time mothers are especially high among the Southern Residents.
Southern Residents depend on healthy, abundant Chinook salmon populations to sustain themselves and their young. Researchers believe poor nutrition and the transfer of toxins from mother to calf are likely key factors in the whales' high mortality rate.
The Source: Information in this story comes from a press release by the Center for Whale Research.
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