||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH |||
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The Center for Whale Research is happy to report that a new calf has been born in the Southern Resident killer whale population. On October 19, 2026, CWR researchers observed a very young whale traveling with J35. The calf, designated J65, is very young, less than a week old based on its appearance and J35’s previous sightings. CWR researchers again encountered the calf the next day, still traveling with J35. The team was able to get drone footage of the calf, confirming that this new calf is a male. |
 The team was able to determine that the new calf is a male by reviewing aerial drone footage. This is J35’s sixth documented calf, starting with her now-teenage son J47 in 2010. In 2018, J35 was observed carrying the body of a dead female calf for 17 days. She then had another son, J57, in 2020, followed by a daughter that did not survive, J61, in 2024. The team saw no signs of health issues in this calf; they observed the calf moving well, socializing, and nursing from J35. However, early life is challenging for these whales, with only half of them making it through their first year. The CWR team and our colleagues will continue to monitor the calf when possible. |
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