Tahlequah, the Grieving Orca Who Carried Her Dead Newborn 1,000 Miles, Gives Birth to a New Calf

Tahlequah, the killer whale who carried her dead calf and swam with him for 17 days, has given birth to her second baby since 2018.

The Center for Whale Research first became aware of the new calf on Friday, Dec. 20. On Monday, Dec. 23, a team of researchers, including scientists and multiple experienced killer whale researchers from NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center, conducted longer-term observations that allowed them to confirm the newborn calf's mother as J35 (Tahlequah's designation number). The newborn calf was given the alpha-numeric designation J61.

According to a Facebook post by the Center for Whale Research, the team photographed the calf's underside, confirming that J61 is female. The team also noted that it is "eager to conduct follow-up observations" and that J35 is an experienced mother, but there are still some concerns about J61's survival.

Related: Tahlequah, the Orca Whale Who Once Grieved Her Dead Calf for 17 Days, Is a Mother Again

"Early life is always dangerous for new calves, with a very high mortality rate in the first year," The Center for Whale Research said. "J35 is an experienced mother, and we hope that she is able to keep J61 alive through these difficult early days."

In a Dec. 21 Facebook post, the Center for Whale Research also commented on the extreme importance of a killer whale's access to their primary food supply, notably salmon, and how crucial it is for a calf's survival.

"The Southern Resident killer whale population needs ample access to their food supply, mainly salmon, to survive and thrive," it said in a post. "Every single birth counts and these whales need enough fish to be able to support themselves and their calves. We continue to advocate for salmon recovery through habitat restoration, removal of dams, and rational management of fisheries in the Pacific Northwest."

Related: Grieving Mother Orca Still Carrying Her Dead Calf as Researchers Begin to Fear for Her Health

For those unaware of Tahlequah's backstory, the orca made headlines in 2018 when she was observed grieving her deceased calf by swimming with it on her back for 17 days. By the time she finally let the calf go, the killer whale had swam a distance of 1,000 miles with her late son.

The Center for Whale Research, who feared for Tahlequah's health during the 2018 ordeal, was relieved when it observed her in good physical condition and displaying "frisky" behavior while chasing a school of salmon. "Her tour of grief is now over, and her behavior is remarkably frisky," the center said in a 2018 statement.

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But J35's story wasn't over. She made the headlines again, this time with happier news when she gave birth to another calf on Sept. 4, 2020. The male newborn, who was named J57, was described by the Center for Whale Research as "healthy and precocious, swimming vigorously alongside its mother in its second day of free-swimming life."

Per the Orca Conservancy, J61 is Tahlequah's third baby calf to survive. Her oldest, J47, also known as "Notch," was born in 2010, and her second, J57, who became known as "Phoenix," was born in 2020.

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