A Mother Orca's Grief: Carrying Her Lost Calf

In 2018, an orca named Tahlequah, part of the critically endangered southern resident killer whales, made headlines for carrying her dead calf for 17 days. Recently, she's been spotted doing the same with a newborn that has passed away. Scientists believe this behavior shows her grief. Orcas, like Tahlequah, are known for their strong family bonds. They live in pods and depend on each other for survival. The death of a calf is a significant loss for any orca mother. It's even more critical for the southern residents, where the population has been declining due to food scarcity and pollution.

Tahlequah was first seen with her new calf on December 20. Sadly, the calf didn't survive. Researchers from NOAA Fisheries saw her carrying the dead calf on her head off West Seattle. They think she might be grieving, as similar behaviors have been observed in dolphins and nonhuman primates. Carrying the calf is energy-intensive. Tahlequah isn't foraging as much, which is worrying. The southern residents are already struggling. They rely on Chinook salmon, but dams and pollution have reduced their food supply. The birth of another orca, J62, gives some hope. But the loss of a female calf is a blow to the subspecies' future. Conservation efforts are ongoing, but more needs to be done to save these magnificent creatures.

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