The mother whale became a trend in 2018 when she gave birth to a calf that died, causing her to mourn inconsolably for her calf’s death for over two weeks. The mother orca was baptized by researchers as J35 and she was seen navigating the seas with her lifeless son for a thousand miles.
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However, life has just rewarded her with a new calf.
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Orca became a mom and is trending
Scientists reported that last Friday, the orca J35 became a mother again to a female calf in Puget Sound, according to a Facebook post from the Whale Research Center. On Monday, scientists were certain that the new calf, named J61, belonged to J35.
A photographer and marine nature expert was the one who captured the tender moment: the tiny dorsal fin of the newborn peeking out.
"My first reaction upon seeing the calf was one of total shock. I was looking at my photos to see which whales were passing by on the port side of the ferry I was on and I noticed that one of the photos had a much smaller dorsal fin," said the photographer.
"As I was going through the pod, I realized it was a very small calf, much smaller than any of the known calves in the group. Based on the size and color of the calf, I realized it was a new calf traveling with J35, my calf, the whale that started my obsession," they said on their Facebook profile.
The first weeks of life are crucial
Through Facebook, the Whale Research Center stated that the calf needs to be cared for in the first weeks of life: “The first years of life are always dangerous for newborn calves, with a very high mortality rate during the first year. J35 is an experienced mother and we hope she can keep J61 alive during these difficult first days”, the post said.