It happened again! Tahlequah, the mother orca who became famous for carrying her dead calf for days, is in mourning again

Nature lovers’ hearts ache once again for Tahlequah, the Pacific Northwest orca known around the world for her moving act of mourning in 2018.

Seven years ago, this orca mother captured global attention carrying the body of her dead puppy for 17 dayson a journey of over 1,600 kilometres. An image of profound pain and maternal love that had traveled around the world, raising public awareness of the difficult situation of this endangered species.

Today, the tragedy repeats itself. Tahlequah, or J35 as it is known by researchers Center for Whale Researchwas spotted carrying the body of her new puppy, who died a few weeks after birth. The news, released by the research center, shocked the scientific community and wildlife enthusiasts.

“The entire team at the Center for Whale Research is deeply saddened by this news,” reads the post published on Facebook and Instagram. Tahlequah’s actions, the researchers explain, are a clear sign of grief over the loss of her offspring. A pain shared by his pack, which as in 2018, seems to take turns supporting her mother in this difficult moment.

Brad Hansona researcher at the Center for Whale Research, has observed Tahlequah up close. The mother, he says, holds the baby resting on her face or head, diving to retrieve it when the body sinks. A heartbreaking gesture testifies to the deep bond between mother and son.

“I think it’s fair to say he’s grieving,” he says Joe Gaydosscientific director of SeaDoc at the University of California. Similar behavior, Gaydos explains, is seen in other social animals with long lifespans, including Gelada baboons, Japanese macaques, chimpanzees and mountain gorillas.

But the death of the Tahlequah puppy is more than an individual tragedy. It’s a wake-up call that highlights the critical situation of orcas in the Pacific Northwest. The mortality of cubs in this species is high: only one in five puppies survives the first year of life. A worrying fact, which puts the survival of this already decimated population at risk.

The Southern Resident orcas, of which Tahlequah is a part, are a group of fish-eating orcas that they feed mainly on salmon. Their population is estimated at only 73 individuals, a dramatically low number that places them on the brink of extinction.

The causes of this decline are multiple: the scarcity of king salmontheir main source of food, water pollution and noise from boatswhich interferes with their ability to hunt.

The death of the Tahlequah puppy is a hard blow to this struggling population. Not only because every new born represents hope for the future of the species, but also because Tahlequah has now lost two of her four cubs.