Baby Orca Whales Doing Fine

Two new calves

so far for 2010

From the Vancouver Sun

Then: In February 2009, the endangered southern resident killer-whale population got a boost -- two new orca calves were spotted swimming in the waters off Victoria and Nanaimo. The births excited Ken Balcomb, executive director at the Friday Harbor-based Center for Whale Research, which tracks the resident orca population along Washington state and southern B.C.'s coastlines. Balcomb said the calves brought the depressed population's numbers up to 85 -- they historically hover around 120 over three pods. He noted, however, that the mortality rate for first-year calves is 50 per cent.

Now: The orca babies dubbed J44 and L112 made it through the winter, said Balcomb this week, along with three more born in 2009. So far in 2010, two calves have been born.

"Two new calves this year, J47 and L114, appeared to be in good health, as are all of the calves born last year," Balcomb said.

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