1/4 Kitsap Sun–Another Newborn Orca Seen in J Pod
By Kitsap Sun staff
A new calf has been born into J Pod, one of the three groups of orcas that frequent Puget Sound and the Salish Sea.
The young whale was spotted Sunday in Puget Sound by a research crew headed by Brad Hanson of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Today, Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research designated the calf as J-47 and confirmed that the mother is J-35, a 12-year-old orca known as Tahlequah.
At 12, Tahlequah is a young mother, and many first-born orcas do not survive their first year. Researchers say the reasons for the high newborn mortality may include a heavy dose of toxic chemicals they receive from their moms. But Balcomb said this newborn looks robust and healthy.
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http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/jan/04/another-newborn-orca-seen-in-j-pod/