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Tahlequah’s new J Pod calf is nursing and swimming, researchers say
Researchers identified a newborn male Southern Resident orca, J65, swimming with his mother, J35, in J Pod. The calf appears well, but researchers say only about half of young orcas survive their first year.
FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash. — A newborn male orca has been spotted swimming with J35, the Southern Resident killer whale known as Tahlequah, in J Pod, the Center for Whale Research said Tuesday.
Researchers first saw the calf, designated J65, on Monday and estimated it was less than a week old. They encountered the pair again the next day and used drone footage to confirm the calf’s sex.
J65 appeared to be swimming well, socializing with other whales and nursing, said Michael Weiss, the center’s research director. The team saw no immediate signs of health problems, he said, and plans to monitor the calf when possible.
The first year is a particularly precarious period for young orcas. “Early life is challenging for these whales, with only half of them making it through their first year,” Weiss said.
J65 is the sixth documented calf born to J35. Her first documented calf, J47, was born in 2010, followed by son J57 in 2020. A daughter, J61, born in 2024, did not survive.
Tahlequah drew international attention in 2018 after carrying her dead calf for 17 days. The Southern Resident killer whales, a population that includes J Pod, are endangered.