Christmas has come early for B.C.’s endangered southern resident killer whales.
A newborn calf has been sighted with the social group known as K pod.
“We are very excited about this discovery, since this is the first calf born into K pod since K45 Prosper in 2022,” said a social media post by Washington-based organization Orca Conservancy.
The sighting was made Tuesday (Dec. 9) as the pod travelled southbound from Shoreline, Washington.
Orca Conservancy’s director of development Tamara Kelley was the first to spot the newborn, describing the moment as a “huge and welcome surprise.”
In a video shared online, an excited Kelley can be heard repeatedly saying “There’s a new baby,” as the “little orange calf” surfaces among the group.
“At first, I almost didn’t believe what I was seeing, but once I saw it surface a second time I was able to confirm there was in fact a new face in the pod,” she told Victoria News. “I was so excited that I had been shouting so much the other parking lots at the park could hear.”
According to Kelley, additional footage captured by another shore-based whale watcher indicates that the calf is male. The newborn was primarily seen traveling with 22-year-old female K36, also known as Yoda, who has never been documented with a viable calf.
From her shore-based vantage point, Kelley said the calf appears to look “robust and energetic.”
“Previous calves that have not survived (J60, J61, L128) were substantially and very noticeably more lumpy and bumpy,” she said. “So I am feeling cautiously optimistic about this calf.”
K pod is one of three southern resident social groups, and is the smallest, notes Kelley. Including the new calf, K pod’s population now stands at 15.
“They also have the lowest birth rate of the three pods, having only had three births in the last 14 years,” she said.
Kelley’s observations and footage will be shared with the Center for Whale Research, who are expected to assign the alphanumeric identification of K47 to the new addition.
As for it’s name, folks have come up with some unique suggestions. “Let’s name this one K Pod Demon Hunter,” said one Facebook user in response to Orca Conservancy’s post.
Center for Whale Research will also confirm the calf’s maternity after it has been observed in three separate encounters.
For 50 years Center for Whale Research has carried out a population census of the endangered southern residents.
This year’s census noted the population stood at 74 as of July 1, up just one from last year’s 73.
The species faces three primary threats: toxic pollutants, underwater noise disturbance, and an overall decline in the abundance and quality of their primary prey species, chinook salmon.