A baby orca was recently seen in the San Juan Islands. The orca was born in the J-Pod. Michael Harris is the executive of the Pacific Whale Watch Association. He has stated that the new addition is great news. The newest orca has been named J53. It is the fourth orca to be born into the J-Pod this year.
“We were down to 77 whales in the southern whale community in mid-December, then suddenly within 11 months, we’ve had six birthdays,” said Harris.
“That’s great news.”
Experts were surprised to see J-53 because it is the fourth orca to be born to J17. J17 is 38 years-old. She is also a grandmother to two orcas, J46 and J47.
Capt. Simon Pidcock, of Ocean EcoVentures in Cowichan Bay, took this photo of a baby calf born to the southern resident orca pod.
Maya’s Legacy took photos of the baby orca. Maya’s Legacy is one of the whale watch associations in Washington and British Columbia. The photos showed that J53 had folded skin. The folded skin indicates that the baby orca had been born a few days ago.
L-Pod, which is another pod, has had two orcas born in it since December 2014. One of the orcas was born to a 10 year-old mother. Orcas typically do not reproduce until they are 14 or 15 years-old. Male orcas typically only live 50 to 60 years. However, female orcas can live up to 90 yeas. Experts have not determined the sex of J-53 yet.
