Tahlequah, the Southern Resident killer whale who famously carried her deceased calf for 17 days in 2018, has tragically lost her newest offspring. The heartbreaking death of the calf reportedly highlights the precarious survival rates of the species and underscores ongoing concerns about the whales’ primary food supply.
Tahlequah, a female orca born around 1998, endured the devastating loss of her newborn, J61, a female calf born in December 2024.
Researchers from the Center for Whale Research confirmed the death on January 1, 2025, and observed J35 carrying the calf’s body, echoing her previous mourning behavior.
