The story of a young orca called J61 ended tragically. Scientists from the Whale Research Center reported the death of the young mammal several days after its birth. Its mother is the orca J35, which in 2018 swam with her deceased calf for 17 days as an act of mourning. According to observers, J35 is also unable to part with her child now.
On January 1 this year, scientists at the Center for Whale Research (CfWR) in Washington reported that an orca known as J35, or Tahlequah, was spotted with her dead calf. A dozen or so days earlier, the world was informed that J35 she became a mother again. However, from the beginning there were concerns about the future of the small mammal, named J61, which was suspected of having health problems.
“J35 is an experienced mother and we hope that she will be able to keep J61 alive in these difficult first days,” CfWR experts wrote on social media at the time.
J61 is the second documented Tahlequah child to have died. In 2018, an orca lost her calf half an hour after it was born. Unable to cope with its death, she swam with the dead body of the mammal for 17 days. Preventing the bodies from sinking, she pushed them toward the coast of the northwestern United States and Canada. According to scientists, J35 is also unable to part with his child now.
“Particularly devastating”
Representatives of the Whale Research Center wrote on social media that the news of J61's death caused the research team “deep sadness”.
“The loss of any calf in the southern resident killer whale population is a huge loss, but the death of J61 is particularly devastating. Not least because she was a female […]but also taking into account the history of her mother J35, who lost two of the four documented calves,” experts wrote. They added that on January 1, the mother was seen – just like a few years ago – swimming with the deceased child.
ENEX, Center for Whale Research
Main photo source: ENEX