Description
Washington whale researchers believe a Southern Resident orca calf with J Pod has died.
According to the Center for Whale Research, the 1-month-old calf, J60, was missing from the researchers' recent encounter. They identified every other J Pod member during the Jan. 27 encounter in the San Juan Channel, which led them to believe the calf had died.
The research team said it would be "extremely unlikely" for an orca that young to have been on its own for the entirety of the encounter. The team located two potential mothers of the calf, J40 and J46, during the encounter. Neither of them had a calf traveling with them.
READ MORE: https://www.king5.com/article/life/animals/j-pod-orca-calf-feared-dead-missing-during-encounter/281-bd51f4f4-6b50-4d63-84ad-3cb3715c4419