Famous mother orca still carrying body of 2nd dead calf
Social Sharing
A mother killer whale whose calf died more than two weeks ago was spotted recently in waters off Victoria, B.C., still carrying the carcass of her newborn.
The Center for Whale Research spotted the southern resident killer whale, named Tahlequah, or J35, on Jan. 10, nine days after she was first seen pushing her dead calf while she swam.
She's the same whale that made world headlines in 2018 when she spent 17 days carrying her first dead newborn calf around in a similar manner.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, the centre said J35 was most recently seen swimming next to another whale in her pod, and that the pair were not far off from several other J pod members. They were located between Vancouver Island and San Juan Island in Washington state.
The post detailing the sighting says observers "were not seeing much of the carcass … but J35 appeared to be trying to keep it from sinking."
Concern for mom's health
Researchers have said the behaviour is an apparent act of grief, and that J35 has now lost two of her four documented calves.
The new female calf had been spotted on Dec. 21, but was reported to have died around New Year's Eve.
J35 was then seen on Jan. 1, pushing her calf's carcass around, draped over the top of her head as she swam.
Researchers expressed concern for J35's health in a news conference after the Jan. 1 sighting, noting how much effort it would take for J35 to carry her calf in such a manner.
"That essentially results in a lot more drag [as she swims], and so her energy expenditure is going to be fairly significant," said Brad Hanson, a research scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Northwest Fisheries Science Center.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
5 days ago
- Global News
Saskatchewan scientists make breakthrough in breast cancer research
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook A team of researchers at the University of Saskatchewan discovered a new strategy for targeting breast cancer cells, which could pave the way for more personalized treatments. Instead of focusing on the differences between tumor cells, the team focused on the similarities, allowing them to look at what's essential for a tumor's growth. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy While their findings are still years away from being in clinics, the approach will hopefully provide another option for cancer patients — one that tailors their treatment based on the genetic makeup of the tumor. Watch the video above to learn more.
CTV News
15-05-2025
- CTV News
Sask. school posts science teacher job saying degree, accreditation ‘not necessary'
Elevation Academy, a private Christian school in Prince Albert, has removed this Facebook post advertising a science teacher position. (Source: Facebook)
CBC
17-03-2025
- CBC
'It will lead to a catastrophe:' U.S. federal job cuts will harm the Great Lakes, Canadian scientists say
Social Sharing After the United States government fired hundreds of people at the nation's weather, ocean and fisheries agency last week, Canadian scientists are warning that this will have "catastrophic" effects on the Great Lakes. The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, run by billionaire Elon Musk, cut its latest round of employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including technicians who work with Canadian scientists to monitor water quality and levels in the lakes. "It's a mission that takes participation from both sides equally and constantly," said Jerome Marty, the executive director of the International Association for Great Lakes Research and a professor at the University of Ottawa. "Everything we do in terms of managing the Great Lakes is binational," he said. "We don't do one thing on one side of the border and not on the other. Everything is coordinated." Several Canadian and American organizations that study and monitor the Great Lakes work together to compile their findings, said Mike McKay, director of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research in Windsor, Ont. "I guess this really speaks to an overreliance that we have on some of NOAA's programs," said McKay, whose work relies on a collaboration with U.S. coast guards to collect water quality samples and monitor ice conditions in the lakes. Scientists also collaborate across the border on Great Lakes research around invasive species, flood control and climate change. "Where we live in Southwestern Ontario, we're surrounded by the Great Lakes on three sides – that is our world," said Lake Huron Coastal Centre co-founder Pat Donnelly, adding that the lakes are a source of drinking water, livelihood and recreation for many. Water safety, fisheries most affected by cuts With fewer American scientists, Marty said this will cause two main problems for the Great Lakes: less tracking of blue-green algae and a proliferation of sea lampreys. Blue-green algae blooms pop up in parts of the Great Lakes every spring, said Marty, and they can become toxic to humans and animals who touch or drink the water. Researchers in the U.S. and Canada work together to monitor algae levels in the lakes to make decisions about limiting access to water at the beach or for drinking. They also keep track of sea lampreys, an invasive species that Marty said has harmed over 80 per cent of native fish in some lakes, which in turn affects fisheries. To keep sea lampreys at bay, technicians apply a chemical to streams in the spring to kill their larvae before they can spawn. "This is not something we do because we think bad things can happen. We do this because bad things have happened already," said Marty, pointing to a spike in sea lampreys during the pandemic, when researchers were not in the field as frequently. "There are things we don't know, but I guarantee that if we pause the monitoring of the Great Lakes and the management that is in place, I am confident that it will lead to a catastrophe and impact humans," he said. Scientists want more support from both countries Marty said he wants to see politicians in the U.S. push back against the cuts, especially in municipalities that rely on drinking water from the lakes. Meanwhile, McKay said he wants to see Canada put forth more funding for Great Lakes management. "This could be an opportunity for Canada to step up its game," he said. "I think it follows suit with a lot of other arguments we're hearing right now about Canada becoming less reliant on the U.S." Last year, the federal government pledged $76 million to support 50 projects to restore waterways and coastal areas around the Great Lakes, which McKay said is a good start. The scientists also emphasize that work on the lakes goes beyond borders. "The Trump administration is dreaming about walls in the southern border with Mexico, but we can't have a wall in the Great Lakes," Marty said.
