Photo: NOAA Fisheries West Coast
In 2018, a whale known as Tahlequah or J35 made headlines around the world for a heartbreaking reason. In an exceptional display of grief, Tahlequah carried her dead calf around for 17 days. Sadly, the same whale has once again been spotted mourning this way following the death of her latest calf, named J61.
“The Center for Whale Research has received additional information that as of 1/1/25, J35 has been seen carrying the body of the deceased calf (J61) with her,” announced The Center for Whale Research. “This behavior was seen previously by J35 in 2018 when she carried the body of her deceased calf for 17 days. We hope to have more information on the situation through further observation and will provide more details at that time.”
A team of scientists, which includes multiple experienced killer whale researchers, first voiced their concerns about J61's wellbeing on December 24, 2024, shortly after her birth. “Early life is always dangerous for new calves,” they explained, “with a very high mortality rate in the first year. J35 is an experienced mother, and we hope that she is able to keep J61 alive through these difficult early days.”
Although it has been gut-wrenching to witness Tahlequah lose a calf twice, she has also been able to see other offspring grow up. She has a 3-year-old calf, known as Phoenix or J57, and a 14-year-old, known as Notch or J47, who are both males. Coincidentally, both her deceased calves were females—a detail that researchers found upsetting, as both whales could have led their own matrilines in the future.
The public was understandably concerned as to what may be happening to Tahlequah's offspring, as she has lost two of her four documented calves. NOAA Fisheries West Coast offered a possible explanation as a comment on Instagram: “The small size and isolation of the endangered population of Southern Resident killer whales in the Pacific Northwest have led to high levels of inbreeding. This inbreeding has contributed to their decline, which has continued as surrounding killer whale populations expand.” The organization also noted that the marine park captures that took place decades ago, as well as contaminants, disturbances, and possible prey limitations may also lead to the loss of calves.
Hoping to turn the feelings of sadness surrounding the death of J61 into positive action, researchers are prompting the public to support and take care of these creatures. “Whether you live a few minutes or a few hours from the coast, there are ways that you can make a difference for Southern Residents,” they say. “You could volunteer with a local group working to protect them, remember to give them plenty of space if you’re ever lucky enough to see them, and make eco-friendly choices in your everyday life, whether you’re at home, work, or school. It’s going to take all of us working together to help these amazing animals recover.”
Tahlequah, the whale that made headlines in 2018 for carrying her dead calf around for 17 days, is once again mourning in the same way following the death of her latest calf.
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Although it has been gut-wrenching to witness Tahlequah go through the process of losing a calf twice, it's a reminder that humans aren't the only ones with emotions and rituals on our planet. (Also, it should be noted: she has two surviving sons.)
Source: Center for Whale Research on Facebook, NOAA Fisheries West Coast on Instagram
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