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A newborn Southern Resident killer whale has died, and the grieving mother is not ready to let go.
The Center for Whale Research has reported that the calf born near Victoria on July 24. died a short time after.
The newborn whale was reported alive and swimming with its mother, J35, and other members of J pod near Clover Point on the Victoria shoreline mid-morning. A Center for Whale Research team was on the water in Haro Strait at the time and immediately responded to photo-document the newborn calf for the long-term census study.
Unfortunately, by the time the CWR crew arrived on scene, the newborn calf was deceased, and the pod had traveled several miles eastward of the reported sighting location.
“The baby’s carcass was sinking and being repeatedly retrieved by the mother who was supporting it on her forehead and pushing it in choppy seas toward San Juan Island, USA,” said the Centre for Whale Research. “The mother continued supporting and pushing the dead baby whale throughout the day until at least sunset.”
As of sunset on July 25, J35 was still pushing the dead calf near East Point, Saturna Island.
“Killer whales and dolphins have been known to support and transport their dead calves for as long as a week – a testament to the amazingly strong mother/offspring bond and caring,” said the centre.
The centre says that a resident of San Juan Island near Eagle Cove reported that at sunset, a group of five to six females gathered at the mouth of the cove in a close, tight-knit circle, staying at the surface in a “harmonious circular motion” for nearly two hours.
The larger environmental question reflected in the J35 story is that both the USA and Canada MUST redouble efforts to restore wild salmon (particularly Chinook) throughout Washington State and British Columbia for a food supply for the SRKW in this region. - Ken Balcomb pic.twitter.com/mqQy83KxSe
— Whale Research (@CWROrcas) July 27, 2018
“As the light dimmed, I was able to watch them continue what seemed to be a ritual or ceremony. They stayed directly centered in the moonbeam, even as it moved. The lighting was too dim to see if the baby was still being kept afloat. It was both sad and special to witness this behavior. My heart goes out to J35 and her beautiful baby; bless it's soul,” said the witness.
As of June, 2018, the Southern Resident killer whale population totals 75 whales in three separate pods.
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