#CenterForWhaleResearch

MikeMykle
2023-06-24

Photographs taken near Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island appears to show a new calf in L-Pod of the Southern Resident Orcas.

They were taken by Howie Tom of Tofino on June 19.

He was looking for Humpback whales when another vessel called out about the sighting, but did not have a camera to capture any images.

He quickly took some photographs before leaving to allow the Orcas to feed without disturbance.

A new calf is seen swimming alongside an adult Orca from L Pod off the west coast of Vancouver Island near TofinoAn orca calf is photographed swimming near 2 adults from L Pod of the Southern Resident Orcas off the West Coast of Vancouver Island near Tofino
Charles SheardCSheard@mastodon.scot
2023-04-25

They grow up so fast ...

Here's J59 with her mom, J37 Hy'Shqa, in a photo from last March after she was born (side by side), and in a photo from 16 days ago (daughter in front).

I'm hoping the #SamishNation will hold their #potlatch naming ceremony soon; I want to refer to her by name, not number.

#PNW #SalishSea #SouthernResident #Orcas #StraitOfJuanDeFuca #Cetaceans #BritishColumbia #Washington #CenterForWhaleResearch

Photos: Copyright © 2022, 2023 Center for Whale Research

Photo from March, 2022, of newborn orca female J59 swimming alongside her mother, J37 Hy'Shqa; the water is a brilliant cornflower blue, and the sun is shining on the slick black skin of the orcas. As with all orcas, the curve of J59's jaw makes her seem to be smiling.Photo from April 8, 2023, of 1 year old orca female J59 swimming in front of her mother, J37 Hy'Shqa, The water is a chill and melancholy battleship grey, and J59 can be seen from snout to dorsal fin creating a small bow-wave of bubbling clear water as the swim right to left. In the dim, blurry background can be seen the coast, with some white buildings on the right-hand side.

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