The youngest orca in the critically-endangered J-Pod of southern resident killer whales is missing and presumed dead, according to a prominent conservation non-profit.
In a Monday Facebook post, the Washington state-based Center for Whale Research said it last spotted the pod on Saturday, and was able to photograph every member of the group except for calf J60.
“Given his young age, it is extremely unlikely that J60 was off on his own for the entire duration of the encounter,” the group wrote.
“While our protocols require at least three full censuses of the group to confirm mortality, we now believe that J60 is likely deceased.”
The calf is believed to have been born around Christmas to either female J42 or J46, and would have been either female’s first baby.
The group said the the mortality rate for young calves, particularly those born to first-time mothers, is extremely high among southern resident orcas.
“This is due both to the generally poor nutritional status of southern residents, and the transfer of toxins from mother to calf during gestation and lactation,” it wrote.
“The southern residents need abundant, large Chinook salmon if they are going to be able to raise their calves to maturity, and keep the population going.”
In December, new research published in the journal Scientific Reports found toxic chemicals from oil spills and wildfire smoke in a dozen killer whales off the B.C. coast, and also detected the transfer of chemicals from mother orca to fetus in the womb.
Recent research from the University of British Columbia has also reported the southern resident population is suffering from a worrisome calorie deficit.
The southern resident killer whale population is believed to be hovering around 74 members.