Orcas advocates got positive news this month, as the J pod's new calf was spotted in good health.
By Allison Sundell
February 17, 2025
SEATTLE — It’s official – it’s a girl!
The Center for Whale Research confirmed Sunday that the new orca calf in the J pod, J62, is female.
During a sighting on Feb. 8, researchers said J62 appeared to be “doing well” and is “filling out nicely.” J62 was seen “bouncing around” with the J19s while the pod appeared to be resting about three-quarters of a mile off the west side of San Juan Island.
Near the end of the sighting, researchers said the J19s were in a large group that was “getting social.” The calf rolled around, and researchers confirmed J62 is a girl based on photographs of her belly.
Researchers first confirmed J62’s birth on Jan. 1.
During the February sighting researchers also confirmed that orca J35 is no longer carrying the carcass of her dead calf, J61. The calf’s birth was confirmed in late December, and within a week, the calf died.
The mother, Tahlequah, gained national attention in 2018 for carrying her dead calf for more than 1,000 miles for at least 17 days.
J62’s good health is positive news for researchers as the Southern Resident killer whales’ population continues to struggle. The number of Southern Residents has reached its lowest level in decades, and advocates are racing to address factors contributing to their plight, including boat noise, which affects their ability to hunt; availability of Chinook salmon, their preferred prey; and pollutants in sea water.
Joe Olson, President of the Puget Sound Chapter of the American Cetacean Society, expressed enthusiasm about the new arrival.
"I am very excited that there is a female orca calf. J needs that really bad," he said.
The addition of J62 comes at a critical time for the Southern Resident orcas, whose population has dwindled to just 73 individuals. Howard Garrett, co-founder of Orca Network, explained the gravity of the situation.
“Optimum population should be at least 150, around 200 would be a robust population, so they are at a very low level and they are kind of plateauing,” Garrett said. "By far the main problem with these orcas' survival with reproductive success is nutrition, is having enough food. And their food, as they have specialized in for thousands of years, is primarily Chinook salmon, the big fatty chinook, and they are not so big anymore, and there are not very many of them."
Despite these challenges, the arrival of J62 has renewed hope for the pod's future. Conservation efforts are ongoing, with experts emphasizing the need for ecosystem restoration and reduced human impact.
Olson stressed, "The whales need our help. If we could leave them alone and restore the ecosystem so that there are abundant salmon and no pollution and not a bunch of noise, they would recover with no problem."
King 5: Welcome J62: A new female orca joins the Southern Resident family
