||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH |||
On September 23, CWR researchers were finally able catch up with J pod in Georgia Strait for a photo-ID encounter. During that encounter, we were thrilled to get our first look at the newest calf J64, who was originally reported to us by Orca Network and SeaDoc Society on September 18th. The calf was consistently traveling alongside J42 and exhibited surfacing patterns indicative of nursing. Along with the information that J42 was heavily pregnant prior to this calf appearing, this makes us confident that J42 is J64’s mother.
The calf appeared well-integrated into the pod, with many young females (especially J58, J53, and the other two J pod calves J62 and J63) nearby, along with J64’s grandmother J16. The calf is still very lumpy, but this is normal given its young age. As always, our optimism for this calf is cautious: the first year, especially the early days, is difficult for southern resident calves, and as this is J42’s first calf we don’t know how successful she’ll be as a mother. We will be monitoring the calf when we can and conferring with our colleagues on the apparent health of the calf and mother as we collect more data.
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