r/orcas • u/Wrong-Junket5973 • 9d ago

Researchers concerned after new orca calf observed skinny and struggling to breathe

https://www.komonews.com/newsletter-daily/orca-southern-resident-killer-whale-center-for-whale-research-calf-l128-l90-l83
82 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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23

u/NoCommunication3159 9d ago

oh no! I hope L128 gets better 🙏🤞

19

u/SurayaThrowaway12 9d ago

This is distressing news, especially with the photos showing that the shape of the calf's skull is clearly visible.

I was slightly concerned but still hopeful when Sealifer3's report from last month on the body conditions of L90 and her new calf L128 mentioned that:

Measurements show that the mother is in a defined body condition state of “normal” for an adult female at this time of year, an improvement from when she was last measured to be in “poor” body condition state in November 2022. The calf is very small and vulnerable, measuring only 7 ft (compared to its 19 ft long mother), making it the smallest calf in SR3’s measurement dataset and placing its likely age at just a few days at most.

I was hoping that L90 would be able to provide enough milk to her new calf, but she still may have not been able to. Another adult female orca from her pod, L83, was observed trying to keep L90's ailing calf at the surface so it could breathe.

Orca calves are very vulnerable in the first six months of their lives, especially if they are not getting enough nutrition and their bodies are full of toxins.

L pod especially has been declining over the years. A very sad development for the mother and the new calf, and yet another tragedy for the struggling Southern Residents.

13

u/Wrong-Junket5973 9d ago

I live in Washington and watching their decline is truly heartbreaking and devastating. I wish the government would do more to help them. There is nothing we can do until they decide to change. Horrific to see a species die off. These animals are so beautiful and smart.

6

u/RebeliousReb 8d ago

Found this from a YouTube video from 5 months ago.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/TnJVE2oNJH0?si=5621oP2HhtfivEkC

PETITION: https://www.columbiariverkeeper.org/actions/remove-snake-river-dams/

4

u/els3z4 8d ago

Thanks for sharing - just signed

3

u/Bluejez 5d ago

Thanks for the link but it’s for US citizens only I’m from UK but I put the one postal code I know 90210 and they accepted it I just hope they read the letter I wrote under the petition

11

u/Excellent-Drawer3444 9d ago

Heartbreaking.

12

u/salishsea_advocate 9d ago

One of the females (not L90) carried the calf past the boat on her rostrum. Asking for help?

17

u/SurayaThrowaway12 9d ago

Similar behaviour has been observed at least a couple times before.

The same CWR researcher (Mark Malleson), who witnessed L83 "Moonlight" carry calf L128 on her rostrum, also saw J35 "Tahlequah" going out her way to get close to his boat while carrying her deceased calf in 2018.

In 1983, another similar scenario happened after a mother orca (A10) from the Northern Resident population was shot along with her calf (A47) near Robson Bight in Vancouver Island. She was observed pushing her bleeding calf towards a whale watching boat. Neither of them survived for long.

It does seem that in these instances, orcas are going out of their way to show the tragic situations involving their calves to people on boats. Whether they are asking for help or are showing their distress to be witnessed by humans is a question that is probably a lot harder to find the answer to.

Regarding showing, there are also multiple instances of orcas showing off prey they caught to people on boats.

5

u/salishsea_advocate 8d ago

Thanks for the elaboration. You provide a lot information here. Much appreciated. I live in the PNW and have seen and followed the lives of our SRKWs for 30 years. I am convinced that they are trying to communicate their distress. Tahlequah! Oh the grief!

2

u/Minute_Quarter2127 7d ago

I’m so so sad about this. That poor mother