Wildlife: Orca Mother Observed Grieving Over Second Dead Calf

Improve the News Foundation -

Facts

  • An endangered orca named Tahlequah (J35) was observed on Wednesday carrying her deceased female calf (J61) off the coast of Seattle. This behavior mirrored that of her previous 17-day journey carrying another dead calf in 2018.[1][2][3]
  • The newborn calf J61, first spotted on Dec. 21, showed signs of health issues before its death was confirmed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researchers on Jan. 1.[4]
  • Tahlequah belongs to the critically endangered "Southern Resident" killer whale population, which has dwindled to just 73 individuals, including only 23 breeding females.[5]
  • Joe Gaydos, science director at the University of California, said that the orca's behavior represents grief, noting that whales share similar neurotransmitters and hormones with humans that enable emotional responses.[6]
  • The Washington state-based Center for Whale Research said the loss is particularly devastating as J61 was female and could have contributed to the population's recovery. It marks Tahlequah's second loss of a female calf out of her four documented offspring.[7]
  • Southern Resident killer whales face multiple threats, including diminished Chinook salmon populations and disruption from ship noise. Despite over $1B invested in conservation efforts by Washington state and federal agencies, the Southern Resident killer whale population continues to decline.[8][9]

Sources: [1]Huffington Post, [2]People, [3]NDTV, [4]CBC, [5]Firstpost, [6]New York Times, [7]Guardian, [8]NBC and [9]Seattle Times.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by BBC Earth and Newsweek. Tahlequah's emotional display of grief demonstrates orcas' complex social bonds and intelligence, proving they experience deep emotional connections similar to humans. Their repeated behavior of carrying dead calves shows that these marine mammals possess sophisticated emotional capabilities that deserve greater recognition and protection.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Seattle Times and CBS. The focus on emotional interpretations of whale behavior is important, but it can divert attention from the more urgent need to address practical conservation challenges. The urgent priority should be implementing immediate actions to restore salmon populations, remove dams, and reduce marine pollution to prevent the extinction of these endangered whales.