It’s little J-51! Second baby orca in 2 months

Published 12:03 am Friday, February 13, 2015

By The Associated Press

FRIDAY HARBOR — A scientist who tracks a family of endangered orcas that frequent the Strait of Juan de Fuca, San Juan Islands and Puget Sound says he’s spotted a second baby born to the killer whale pod in the past two months.

Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research confirmed the newborn in J-pod after it was spotted Thursday in the Strait.

He says the week-old calf dubbed J-51 appears healthy. The presumed mother is 36-year-old J-19. The calf’s gender is not yet known.

Balcomb says two J-pod members were seen swimming protectively alongside the new calf.

The new addition joins J-50, a new J-pod baby spotted in late December.

The two bring Puget Sound’s southern resident orca population to 79, which is still dangerously low. J-pod now has 26 members. K-pod has 19 whales and L-pod has 34.

A 19-year-old female from J-pod died in early December.