Additional Coverage:
In 2018, Tahlequah, the killer whale who gained worldwide attention for carrying her dead calf, has welcomed a new baby. The Center for Whale Research has named the newborn calf J61.
Tahlequah, also known as J35, has given birth to three surviving calves. Her first, Notch, was born in 2010, and Phoenix was born in 2020.
The J-pod, which includes Tahlequah and her calves, is one of three pods of Southern Resident orcas, an endangered population. The pod is declining, with fewer than 73 whales remaining.
Threats to orcas include entanglement in fishing nets, dwindling food supply, and pollution. Contaminants in the water pose a significant risk to baby orcas, who are exposed through their mothers’ milk.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has expressed concern about the high levels of contaminants in female Southern Resident whales and their offspring. NOAA is studying the impact of these contaminants on the population’s health.