A new Southern Resident orca calf is reported to have been born into L-pod recently and we are working to confirm the sighting. The calf would be L-pod's first new member in two years. Defenders of Wildlife Northwest Representative Kathleen Callaghy released the following statement in response to the good news.
“Good news is sadly rare and extremely welcome when it comes to these whales,” Callaghy said. "They are up against so many challenges, but they keep going.”
The Orca Behavior Institute shared a third-party photo of the baby traveling with the L77s on social media last week. Orca advocates patiently await the confirmation of the sighting and hope for a healthy baby, as there is a high mortality rate for calves. Researchers estimate that between 37 and 50 percent of orca calves die in their first year.
For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.
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