The Center for Whale Research (CWR) confirmed Wednesday a new calf has been born into the Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) community.
A new calf in L pod! The Center for Whale Research (CWR) is thrilled to confirm that a new calf, L125, has been born into the Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) community. https://t.co/pLc7lCSxQK pic.twitter.com/TSxpFbu7EP
— Whale Research (@CWROrcas) February 18, 2021
CWR says it dispatched two boats with field researchers to photo-identify the new calf, following reports J, K and L pod were in Haro Strait.
The organization says in a media release that photo-ID expert, Dave Ellifrit, captured images that show L125 with fetal folds, indicating a relatively recent birth.
“It is nicely filled out and appears to be a perfectly normal little calf,” said Ellifrit.
CWR says L125’s size and shape are typical of a calf in good physical condition and it is estimated, based on size, to be one to one-and-a-half months old.
Shot of L-125, a new calf born into the Southern Resident Killer Whale community. Photo courtesy Center for Whale Research.
The new calf was delivered by L86, her fourth offspring.
CWR says L125 is the first calf born into L pod since January 2019.
Shot of L-125, a new calf born into the Southern Resident Killer Whale community. Photo courtesy Dr. John Durban and Dr. Holly Fernbach.
“The other calves born into J pod in 2020, J57 and J58, were observed today and looked to be doing well,” CWR said.
According to the CWR website, the southern resident orca population was 74 as of Dec. 31, 2020.
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