A Southern Resident killer whale was observed carrying her dead newborn calf in the Salish Sea near northern Washington, according to a statement from the Center for Whale Research. The orca, identified as J-36 or Alki, was seen on September 12 in Rosario Strait with the calf’s body, which still had its umbilical cord attached. Researchers believe the baby was born within three days of the sighting.
“Based on the size of the calf, we estimate that the calf was either full term or near full term. It is unclear if this was a stillbirth or if the calf died shortly after birth,” said representatives from the Center for Whale Research.
Teams from multiple agencies responded to document the whales. The Center for Whale Research noted it would provide further updates as more information becomes available.
Incidents like this have happened before among Southern Resident killer whales. In late 2024, another member of J pod named Tahlequah (J-35) also carried her deceased baby. In 2018, Tahlequah kept her dead calf afloat for 17 days in what became known as her “tour of grief.”
Southern Resident killer whales were listed as endangered in 2005 and are considered depleted under federal law by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This population consists of three groups: J, K and L pods. These whales spend summers and falls primarily in Puget Sound and waters off southern Vancouver Island.
According to NOAA, “While most other killer whale populations are doing well, the Southern Residents are among the world’s most endangered marine mammals.”
The Environmental Protection Agency notes that their numbers have declined due to factors such as reduced availability of Chinook salmon—their main food source—chemical pollution, and noise disturbances from vessels (https://www.epa.gov/salish-sea/southern-resident-killer-whales).
Research from University of Washington scientists has shown that about 69% of births among these whales fail.
