Possible new calf identified in K Pod, first since 2011

WASHINGTON - The Center for Whale Research (CWR) says it has been made aware of a video that shows what appears to be a young calf in the resident southern orca K Pod. 

The video, posted to the YouTube channel "The Guide's Forecast," was taken off Pacific City on April 28, and shows what appears to be a young calf associating with female orca K20, according to CWR.

If this is K20's calf, this will be the first calf born to the K Pod since 2011, with the birth of K44. 

"CWR plans to document the calf during our photographic surveys so that we can assess its health, confirm the identity of its mother, and assign it an alphanumeric designation," CWR said on its website. 

CWR said the mortality rate for young calves is "very high." 

In early March, an orca was born to the J Pod. That calf marked the endangered whales' population at 74.