The rare sight of a newborn orca swimming next to its mom off the coast of Seattle has got researchers excited.
The calf known as L128, born to orca L90, is a part of the resident L Pod, which is part of a group of pods that make up the southern residents that frequent the Salish Sea. The Seattle Times reported that both mom and baby appear to be doing well. This positive and exciting news is very welcome, especially at a time when the whales in the area are struggling after recording a number of losses in recent years.
The tiny calf still has its newborn folds, and the researchers in the area predict it was first seen at three days old. A Seattle-based filmmaker, Victoria Obermeyer, who was involved in a documentary called Coextinction about the southern residents, told the Seattle Times, "It was amazing, so beautiful, you could still see the fetal folds, and the white parts had that milky orange tint."
The southern resident orcas are found off the U.S. Pacific coastline, and they are critically endangered. This is because they face a number of threats including increased noise, chemical pollution, and a lack of food.
The orcas in this area are fish eaters, primarily feeding on chinook, chum, and coho salmon, which are in decline. Being at the top of the food chain has also made them prone to the accumulation of toxic chemicals in their body, which impacts their health, especially the more vulnerable young and old orcas.
Several groups in the area have been working hard to raise awareness of the issues these animals face and to conserve their population numbers. Veterinarians have found a way to carry out examinations of the animals using drones, and it is hoped that this technology will help provide individualized care for the animals.
Researchers are also examining other issues in the area such as contamination by harmful chemicals and microplastics to see what role they could be playing in the population's decline. However, the birth of a new calf is exciting news for the population, and many people will be keeping a close eye on its status.
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