SEATTLE — A newborn orca calf died within three days of birth in the Rosario Strait, marking another tragic loss for the Southern Resident orcas.
The calf’s mother, J-36, has experienced the loss of offspring before, highlighting ongoing challenges faced by this critically endangered population.
“It beats you down a little bit after a while, just seeing it over and over,” said Dr. Michael Weiss, Research Director at the Center for Whale Research.
Researchers are uncertain whether the calf was a stillbirth or died shortly after birth, but they believe it was full-term or nearly full-term based on its size.
Dr. Weiss explained that J-36 likely continued to carry her deceased calf out of love.
“There wouldn’t have been a day for the rest of J-36’s life, probably, where she didn’t at least hear this calf, where she did hear it, where she wasn’t next to it, where she was spending time with that whale,” he explained.
Southern resident orcas face high concentrations of toxicants in the water and a lack of prey, particularly Chinook Salmon, which are also endangered.
“They are really reliant on this biggest, fattiest species of salmon that we have out here,” Weiss noted, emphasizing the critical role of Chinook Salmon in the orcas’ diet.
The Southern Resident orca population is declining, with deaths outpacing births.
“At the current situation, it’s not sustainable. The population is gonna continue to decline over the next 50 years, with there being some chance of actual extinction within that time,” he added.
Researchers urge the public to support measures that reduce toxic pollution and boost Chinook Salmon populations to help ensure the survival of the Southern Resident orcas.
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