Surprise Orca Calf Born To Southern Resident L Pod

SEATTLE — Whale watchers across the Puget Sound are celebrating the surprise birth of a new orca calf.

The calf, newly-christened L125, is the child of 30-year-old L86, of the Southern Resident Orca's L pod. The calf is L86's fourth.

According to Orca Network, the Center for Whale Research had been watching the J, K, and L pods as they traveled up Haro Straight Wednesday morning when they spotted the surprise calf. They are now monitoring the calf, hoping to learn more about its birth and current wellbeing. From what they can tell so far, the Center for Whale Research says the calf appears to be healthy, and is probably about a month or a month and a half old.

Researchers will continue to keep an eye on the new calf over the coming months: data suggests that between 37 and 50 percent of calves do not survive through their first year.

They're also likely working to confirm the baby's gender: researchers have long been hoping for a new female calf, which they say will be key in keeping the killer whale population sustainable.

As Orca Network notes, the birth is also remarkable because once again all three pods have come together - the same thing happened back on Sept. 5, 2020, when J35 gave birth to J57, and the K and L pods traveled to the J pod to celebrate.

The new calf is now the 75th living member of the Southern Resident Killer Whale population, and the 34th member of the L pod, the largest of the three pods. The last L Pod Calf, L124, was born in January 2019.

The Center for Whale Research also checked in on the J pod's newest calves, J57 and J58, and say they are also doing well.