Overview

• Researchers were alerted on the morning of Sept. 12 and later documented Alki (J36) pushing a deceased neonate in Rosario Strait.
• The calf, a female with an umbilical cord attached, was assessed as full term or near full term and likely born within the previous three days.
• The Center for Whale Research said it remains unclear whether the calf was stillborn or died shortly after birth.
• Similar maternal carrying has been recorded in the same population, including Tahlequah (J35) in 2018 and again in 2024.
• The Southern Resident population numbers in the mid‑70s, with scientists citing scarce Chinook salmon, pollution, and vessel noise as ongoing pressures; field teams are minimizing disturbance as the mother carries the calf.