J-pod’s newest member is a girl.
On May 26, Center for Whale Research staff encountered J-pod during a photo-ID and aerial observation survey. During this encounter, the team managed to capture photographs and drone footage of the pod’s youngest member, J59. From this, the team was able to determine the new calf is a girl.
“Having another female is good news for the southern residents; the population’s growth is largely limited by the number of reproductively aged females. While one calf won’t save the population, we hope that J59 can grow to adulthood and contribute to future generations of southern residents,” the centre said in a statement.
The new calf was discovered on March 1, but researchers weren’t able to determine her sex at that time.
READ MORE: New addition to B.C.’s southern resident orca family
ALSO READ: First calf in a decade spotted swimming with K-pod off Oregon coast
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