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The Centre for Whale Research says newest orca is a healthy boy

Newest orca is a boy

A three-week old orca and newest member of the southern resident killer whale pod has been declared a boy.

The calf dubbed J57 and its mother, J35, also known as Tahlequah, has been spotted off the coast of Washington State, near Point Roberts Tuesday.

CTV News Vancouver Island is reporting that according to the Centre for Whale Research, J57 is a “feisty young boy” and was spotted “rolling, spyhopping, and swimming alongside his mother, who was actively foraging for food."

Tahlequah or J35 is the same orca that carried her dead calf for 17 days in 2018. J57 is approximately three weeks old and has a brother, J47 who is now 10 years old

“For the southern resident killer whale community's population sustainability, it is preferred that new calves are female,” said the Centre for Whale Research in a release Wednesday.

“But regardless of gender, J57 is a very welcome addition. He is robust and appears healthy,” said the centre.

-with files from CTV News Vancouver Island



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