Newborn Orca Calf Seen Near Admiralty Inlet

HANSVILLE, WA - Scientists with the Center for Whale Research (CWR) confirmed that a calf has been born to a southern resident whale pod, according to Q13. The weeks-old calf is the first successful birth in years amid what scientists call a "dead baby boom."

The calf appeared to be in good health and was seen swimming with its mother near the Admiralty Inlet west of Whidbey Island, Q13 reported. The calf was born to a mother in the L Pod.

The last year has been extremely difficult for the southern resident whales.

In July, the world watched as orca J35, Tahlequah, carried her dead calf around for weeks. A month later, 3-year-old calf J50 died after a long illness.

Orcas are under siege in Puget Sound, unable to feed properly due to the depleted Chinook salmon population and stressed by increased boat noise. Only about 74 orcas now frequent Puget Sound, down from the historical population of about 200.

Gov. Jay Inslee has included some $1 billion in funding in his 2019-21 state budget for programs that would directly and indirectly help Puget Sound orcas. About one-third of the money would go toward building culverts to help salmon reach spawning grounds. Another $117 million would go toward electrifying the state's ferry fleet to reduce noise.

Caption: In this Jan. 18, 2014, file photo, a female orca leaps from the water while breaching in Puget Sound west of Seattle, as seen from a federal research vessel that has been tracking the whale. Whale researchers who track the small endangered population of Puget Sound orcas say three whales are believed dead or missing since summer.

AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File