Tahlequah, or J35, as researchers know it, is not the only southern resident killer whale waiting.
According to the drone photos, she is just one of several pregnant killer whales that have been identified by investigators since early July, according to SR3, a response, rehabilitation and research group on marine life.
In 2018, Tahlequah swam for 17 days with her dead newborn. Refusing to let it sink, she pushed her calf to the surface of the Pacific off the coast of Canada and the Northwest United States.
It’s not unusual for women in all three pods to wait at the same time, but the group said that most recent pregnancies have been unsuccessful.
“Studies by our colleagues at the University of Washington have shown that these reproductive failures are related to nutrition and access to their Chinook salmon prey,” the online statement said. “Therefore, we hope that the people in the water can give residents of the south plenty of room to feed at this important time.”
MR3 shared online photos of J35 and L72, another pregnant killer whale. Aerial images of both killer whales show the size of their bodies in September, when they had spent several months in their pregnancies and recently in July, with a wider width in the middle of the body, revealing that they are in their final stages.
Orcas are generally pregnant for 17-18 months, according to SR3.
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