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Drone video shows WA southern resident orca pod
Stunning drone footage has revealed a close look at an endangered population of orcas off the coast of Washington state. Credit: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via Storyful
A southern resident orca was seen carrying her dead newborn calf on her snout near the Strait of Juan de Fuca on Oct. 3, according to the Center for Whale Research.
Southern resident orca J31 seen carrying her dead calf on her snout. (Center for Whale Research - NMFS/NOAA Permit #27038)
Dead orca calf spotted near Strait of Juan de Fuca
What we know:
A researcher with the Center for Whale Research spotted the female orca, identified as J31, carrying the deceased newborn calf near Sombrio Point in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
This is not the first time J31 has suffered a loss. She previously carried a deceased calf back in 2016. However, J31 also successfully raised a healthy daughter born in 2019.
What we don't know:
Researchers have not yet determined whether the newborn calf died after birth or was stillborn, nor do they know if it was male or female.
WA's Southern Resident killer whales remain critically endangered
Big picture view:
The southern resident orca population faces multiple ongoing factors that severely limit its ability to reproduce and recover. Marine biologists point to the limited availability of Chinook salmon – a vital primary food source for the whales – as one of the most critical obstacles to their survival.
What they're saying:
"The Southern Resident killer whales remain critically endangered, and their recovery depends not simply on increasing the number of pregnancies, but on creating the conditions in which mothers and calves can survive and thrive," the Center for Whale Research said in a press release.
The Source: Information in this story comes from the Center of Whale Research.
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