FRIDAY HARBOR — A group that has been tracking southern resident killer whales since the 1970s says a calf is missing from one of three pods and is believed to be dead.
The Whale Research Center in Friday Harbor, Washington, says it followed Capsule J into Swanson Strait, which passes through the Gulf Islands, but saw no sign of the calf, designated J64.
The organization said in a statement on social media that on Oct. 23, crews on the water saw J42, the mother of a calf, but the month-old calf was not with her.
The statement said they hoped it was nursing or in another group, but no young whales were found.
Based on this meeting, the organization states that J64 is most likely dead.
The group says it will continue to monitor future encounters with the pod as its protocol is to assume a whale is dead if it is not seen in three consecutive encounters, although they do not expect the newborn to be left alone for any period of time.
“This is the first confirmed J42 calf and the mortality rate of young calves, especially those born to new mothers, is incredibly high in the southern population. Poor nutrition and the transfer of toxins from mother to calf during pregnancy and lactation are key factors,” the statement said.
The Center for Whale Research recently estimated the southern resident population at 74.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2025.
