Puget Sound orca gives birth to calf in ‘good physical condition’

The endangered Southern Resident orca whales welcomed a new calf into their midst this week.

The Center for Whale Research (CWR) confirmed the birth Tuesday as J pod was spotted off San Juan Island.

Over the winter, three orcas were reported to be in late-stage pregnancy. CWR reports that neither of the other two formerly pregnant whales were accompanied by calves in the recent sighting. Marine mammal research and rescue nonprofit SR3 confirmed with the Associated Press that two of the three expecting orcas had lost their calves.

Southern Resident orcas hit Puget Sound absence record in 2021

“A calving rate of 1/3 of the documented pregnancies will, unfortunately, be consistent with the high rate of reproductive loss that has been documented in recent years by our drone studies and by hormone research conducted by the University of Washington,” SR3’s John Durban and Holly Fearnbach told the AP.

Scientists identify the successful pregnancy as belonging to J37, born in 2001. The new orca calf is J59, and CWR reports that it appears in the shape and size “typical of a calf in good physical condition.”

Southern Resident orca whales are listed under the Endangered Species Act in the United States and designated as “at-risk” in Canada. Their primary food source, Chinook salmon, is also endangered.

J59’s addition brings the Southern Resident population to 74.

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