It’s a girl! Orca calf’s gender good news for endangered whales
Posted May 27, 2022 4:32 pm.
Last Updated May 27, 2022 4:37 pm.
A Southern Resident killer whale calf that was first spotted months ago in the Salish Sea is confirmed to be a female.
The calf, dubbed J59, is a member of J Pod, which Center for Whale Research (CWR) staff re-encountered on May 26 during a photo-ID and aerial observation survey.
The CWR was able to determine the orca’s gender after capturing photos and video of the calf’s ventral side — or it’s stomach.
It's a GIRL!!!! Newest J Pod Calf is a Female!
On May 26, the CWR staff encountered J pod during a photo-ID and aerial observation survey. The whales were rolling both under and at the surface where the team was able to determine that J59 is a female. https://t.co/kQpA4WWbmg pic.twitter.com/xlT5HIVR9I— Whale Research (@CWROrcas) May 27, 2022
The CWR announced J59’s arrival on March 2, but was unable to determine its sex. At the time, the centre said the whale’s “lumpy” appearance suggested it was born weeks prior.
In its latest release, the group says the whales are very social, “with lots of rolling both under and at the surface.”
Related article: Baby Southern Resident killer whale spotted in J Pod off Washington coast
The calf’s gender is good news for her pod, as the population’s growth is limited by the number of reproductively aged females.
“While one calf won’t save the population, we hope that J59 can grow to adulthood and contribute to future generations of southern residents,” the CWR said.
Southern resident killer whales are critically endangered. J59 is the first Southern Resident killer whale born into the pod since September of 2020.
J59’s mother, J37, was born in 2001.
-With files from Kurtis Doering
