Orca Who Carried Dead Calf 1,000 Miles Gives Birth Again [Video]

What’s New

The orca that made headlines in 2018 for carrying her stillborn calf for 17 days off the coast of Washington and British Columbia has given birth to a new baby, according to Michael Weiss, research director of the Center for Whale Research (CWR).

Tahlequah, or J35 as the mother orca is scientifically known, was first spotted by the center’s experts with a new baby calf by her side on December 20 in the Puget Sound area. The center is dedicated to tracking down the southern resident orca population in the Pacific Northwest.

Why It Matters

The story of Tahlequah carrying her dead baby across 1,000 miles of ocean in 2018 in an apparent act of grieving was widely circulated six years ago, contributing to creating more awareness and interest in the orca population and their fate.

Orcas, or killer whales, are listed as endangered in Canada and, according to the CWR, they are …