Tahlequah is a Southern Resident killer whale who famously carried her deceased calf for 17 days in 2018
It further stated: “The Center for Whale Research has received additional information that as of 1/1/25, J35 has been seen carrying the body of the deceased calf (J61) with her.
“This behavior was seen previously by J35 in 2018 when she carried the body of her deceased calf for 17 days.
“We hope to have more information on the situation through further observation and will provide more details at that time.”
The research center first reported a new calf seen with J pod – one of the three family groups, or pods, that make up the SRKW population, an endangered group of orcas living primarily in the Pacific Northwest – on December 20.
Scientists subsequently emphasized the critical need for salmon recovery to ensure the survival of the whales and their calves, as they wrote on Instagram: “The Southern Resident killer whale population needs ample access to their food supply, mainly salmon, to survive and thrive.
“Every single birth counts and these whales need enough fish to be able to support themselves and their calves.
She has now tragically lost her newest offspring
“We continue to advocate for salmon recovery through habitat restoration, removal of dams, and rational management of fisheries in the Pacific Northwest.”
Upon confirming that the calf that had been discovered was J35, Tahlequah’s official alphanumeric designation, on December 24, the researchers shared their worry.
“The team, including multiple experienced killer whale researchers, have expressed concern about the calf’s health based on the behavior of both J35 and J61,” the center wrote on Instagram.
It continued: “Early life is always dangerous for new calves, with a very high mortality rate in the first year.
“J35 is an experienced mother, and we hope that she is able to keep J61 alive through these difficult early days.”
Tahlequah made headlines in 2018 when she was observed grieving her deceased calf by swimming with it on her back for 17 days, People reported on December 27.
The heartbreaking death of the calf reportedly highlights the precarious survival rates of the species
