A killer whale, which captured the world’s attention in 2018 when it was noticed pushing the lifeless physique of its new child calf for 17 days, seems to be grieving once more.
The whale, generally known as Tahlequah, has misplaced one other calf and is once more pushing the physique, in response to the Heart for Whale Analysis.
Tahlequah has this time been noticed off the coast of the US state of Seattle.
Killer whales have been identified to hold lifeless calves for every week however scientists in 2018 stated Tahlequah had set a “file”.
The Center for Whale Research said the demise of any calf was a “great loss” however added that the demise of Tahlequah’s new child was “notably devastating” given its historical past.
The centre, which research the Southern Resident killer whale and works on its conservation, stated Tahlequah had now misplaced two out of 4 documented calves – each of which have been feminine.
Each Canada and the US record Southern Resident killer whales as endangered.
The whales rely on Chinook salmon – which have been in dramatic decline lately – for meals.
Failures to breed are linked to diet and entry to those salmon, in response to research from the University of Washington.
Whales can journey a median of 120km (75 miles) a day.
The 2018 sighting of Tahlequah pushing a lifeless calf occurred when it was off the shores of Victoria, British Columbia.
