Orca mom gives birth to its first calf

Earlier this month, the members of J-Pod, one of the three subgroups of Southern Resident orcas, welcomed a new member to the family.  The mom is J40 also known as Suttles, who hasn’t had offspring until now. So far, the reports show that the baby is in good condition, for now. Roughly half of newborns don’t survive for long and those of first time mothers have a higher mortality rate.

To date there’s less than 75 Southern Resident orcas alive, and they’re starving. They exist mainly on a diet of Chinook salmon which have dramatically declined in numbers across the Pacific Northwest. Much of their spawning grounds, in places such as the Upper Snake River, are blocked by dams along the border of Oregon and Washington.

To save salmon and ultimately Southern Residents, removing four dams along the Lower Snake River are a must. Both species deserve a chance at survival and as long as those dams exist, they’ll continue to be at risk.

For now, the news of the newborn is a positive sign for J-Pod, but should be taken with caution.

You can read more on it here.