J19 and J51 sticking close together. (Photo Credit: Dave Ellifrit - Center for Whale Research)
A new calf has been spotted with the endangered southern resident pod called J pod.
The U.S. Center for Whale Research has confirmed that there is a brand new baby in J pod, the second in only two month. J pod was spending the last two weeks in the west entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and finally came back into the interior Salish Sea waters on Thursday.
J19, J51, and J41 enjoying the day. (Photo Credit: Dave Ellifrit - Center for Whale Research)
There, a couple observers endured the mist and light rain to see another brand new baby whales. J19 and J41 were swimming on either side of a new baby, now designated J51. The new baby was estimated to be about one week old, and its presumed mom is 36-year-old J19. J41, the other guardian of the baby, is J19's 10-year-old daughter.
The Center for Whale Research says that J pod now has 26 whales, calling it “the most viable pod” in the endangered southern resident killer whale population of Canada Pacific Northwest and the U.S. The other two pods, K pod and L pod, have 19 and 34 whales each, for a total South Resident Killer Whale population of 79 whales.
The last baby whale, the female J50, was first seen on December 30th and was estimated to be 4-10 days old at that time.
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