J19 with her new calf; photo by Dave Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research
Researchers were pleasantly surprised Thursday to discover that a new baby has been added to the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population.
The calf, believed to be a week old, was spotted swimming between its presumed mother (J19) and her 10-year-old daughter (J41) in Haro Strait, which represents the boundary between the U.S. San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island. The newborn orca has been cataloged as J51.
This is the second calf to be added to the J Pod, the largest of three pods that comprise the Southern Residents, since late December. It brings the J pod population to 26 and the overall Southern Resident population to 79. (K Pod has 19 orcas; L Pod has 34.)
In fact, the female calf born in December (J50) also was spotted be Center for Whale Research members Thursday morning, and appeared healthy and robust.
“We’re thrilled to see a new J pod calf so soon after J50’s birth in December, “ said Howard Garrett, who runs the Orca Network, which is based in Freeland, Washington. “And we hope those two babies will help deepen everyone’s resolve to do whatever is needed to bring back abundant Chinook salmon runs so that they’ll grow up healthy and strong.”
Southern resident orcas J19, J51 (the new calf), and J41; photo by Dave Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research
To be sure, two apparently healthy calves added during a single winter represents a potential boon to a population whose teetering existence is dependent on healthy salmon runs; and a population that has endured several recent losses.
Most notable among those losses, perhaps, was that in December of J32, or Rhapsody, who was carrying a near full-term baby, and whose death was believed to be cause by complications relating to pregnancy.
In early 2014, a calf was born to L pod, but went missing and was presumed dead two months later.
Southern Resident orcas: J19 with her new calf; photo by Dave Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research
During the summer, two members of L pod, a 37-year-old female and a 13-year-old male, were presumed dead after a prolonged absence from the pod.
Besides issues that threaten salmon runs, thus threatening the existence of the Southern Residents, is a proposed project that would triple production of the Trans-Mountain Pipeline, which delivers oil from Alerberta to Burnaby, near Vancouver.
If the controversial pipeline is constructed, it would significantly increase tanker traffic through Haro Strait to and from the Strait of San Juan Fuca.
Meanwhile, however, researchers and fans of the iconic Southern Residents are upbeat about the mammals’ plight, given the arrival of two new calves.
Wrote naturalist Heather MacIntyre on her Facebook page:
“Don’t worry little ones, we’re all working very hard to bring awareness and change in order to restore your salmon. Big things are coming and thousands are on your side.
“Spread the word guys, get involved in salmon restoration, know where your salmon comes from. Make conscious/smart decisions (yes, that means saying NO to that farmed salmon on the dinner menu), and help bring back healthy habitat and ecosystems in our worlds oceans. Let’s do it!!”
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