WA - Orca mother carries dead calf for fourth day, San Juan Islands

[Elainera]

Oh God Ana that is so unbelievably sad Such cruelty.

Today is this commitee meeting. I hope they can agree on a course of action.

Seems the J pod has disappeared for now. I think of them every day and send them love and healing.

Or they're deliberately not telling the public where they are as some people came out to see the grieving mother?

 

[Elainera]

Just found the NOAA website which updates on the condition of both the mother and the sick calf J 50. They have not seen them since Saturday.

Updates on Southern Resident Killer Whales J50 and J35 :: NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region

 

[Elainera]

"Staff from NOAA and the Canada Department of Oceans and Fisheries (DF0) held a press conference Tuesday, August 7, 2018 regarding the efforts to help the young member of the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale population. "

"There are two possible methods of providing a long-acting (10 to 14 days) antibiotic to the whale. One is by using a pole and the other is using a dart gun. The veterinarians are set up to do either method. The decision on whether to give J-50 antibiotics will be made on scene. The NOAA staff have legal permission to do so in U.S. waters.
They are also planning on a fish-feeding trial. A number of live chinook salmon provided by the Lummi Nation will be released from a boat approximately 50 to 100 meters in front of J-50. The trial will not take place simultaneously with the injection of antibiotics as the scientists don't want the whale to associate the fish with the injection. The purpose of the trial is to see if it would be possible in the future to give antibiotics through feeding medicated fish to the whales.
If and when the fish trial takes place, it will be documented with recording equipment aboard vessels and drones. The reaction of the other whales is an important component of the trial.
Another update will take place Wednesday morning. "

Update on efforts to help J-50

 

[DakotaMayi]

"Staff from NOAA and the Canada Department of Oceans and Fisheries (DF0) held a press conference Tuesday, August 7, 2018 regarding the efforts to help the young member of the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale population. "

"There are two possible methods of providing a long-acting (10 to 14 days) antibiotic to the whale. One is by using a pole and the other is using a dart gun. The veterinarians are set up to do either method. The decision on whether to give J-50 antibiotics will be made on scene. The NOAA staff have legal permission to do so in U.S. waters.
They are also planning on a fish-feeding trial. A number of live chinook salmon provided by the Lummi Nation will be released from a boat approximately 50 to 100 meters in front of J-50. The trial will not take place simultaneously with the injection of antibiotics as the scientists don't want the whale to associate the fish with the injection. The purpose of the trial is to see if it would be possible in the future to give antibiotics through feeding medicated fish to the whales.
If and when the fish trial takes place, it will be documented with recording equipment aboard vessels and drones. The reaction of the other whales is an important component of the trial.
Another update will take place Wednesday morning. "

Update on efforts to help J-50

It's amazing what they can do for them. I hope it can anyway. We've done enough damage already. We (humans) need to mend our mistakes.

 

[Elainera]

It's amazing what they can do for them. I hope it can anyway. We've done enough damage already. We (humans) need to mend our mistakes.

Yes we do.

In one article I linked previously about people's reactions, there were some who said they will happily give up eating salmon now that they've become aware of the orca's situation. It's a start.

I hope they will find J50 soon and will be able to help her.

 

[Elainera]

They found her!

"Michael Milstein, a spokesman for NOAA,
confirmed that the 4-year old orca was found west of Vancouver at the Port Renfrew near the west entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

“The good news is she was spotted with her mother J16,” Milstein said. “That’s a good sign because it shows the pod is still together.”

"On whether they can approach the J-pod orcas yet, Millstein said, “We will now look for an opportunity to do the health screen, but the orca would need to be further inland in much calmer waters.”

He noted they don’t know what direction the orcas are traveling or how long it might take before calmer waters are reached.

When asked if they are positive they can keep the orcas in their sights now, Milstein noted the “enormous collaboration between government and NGOs resulting in great sharing of information.”

J50 has been found. Now biologists must figure out how to save her

No word on J35 anymore. I wonder whether she is still carrying her baby.

 

[DakotaMayi]

They found her!

"Michael Milstein, a spokesman for NOAA,
confirmed that the 4-year old orca was found west of Vancouver at the Port Renfrew near the west entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

“The good news is she was spotted with her mother J16,” Milstein said. “That’s a good sign because it shows the pod is still together.”

"On whether they can approach the J-pod orcas yet, Millstein said, “We will now look for an opportunity to do the health screen, but the orca would need to be further inland in much calmer waters.”

He noted they don’t know what direction the orcas are traveling or how long it might take before calmer waters are reached.

When asked if they are positive they can keep the orcas in their sights now, Milstein noted the “enormous collaboration between government and NGOs resulting in great sharing of information.”

J50 has been found. Now biologists must figure out how to save her

No word on J35 anymore. I wonder whether she is still carrying her baby.

Great news!!! Well, it's a step in the right direction anyway.

 

[Seattle1]

‘I am sobbing’: Mother orca still carrying her dead calf — 16 days later
8/8/18

Tahlequah was seen along with her entire family off the coast of the Olympic Peninsula. J50, the ailing 3 1/2-year-old orca in the same family also was seen, along with her mother, J16.
‘I am sobbing’: Mother orca still carrying her dead calf — 16 days later

 

[Doghairrules]

‘I am sobbing’: Mother orca still carrying her dead calf — 16 days later
8/8/18

Tahlequah was seen along with her entire family off the coast of the Olympic Peninsula. J50, the ailing 3 1/2-year-old orca in the same family also was seen, along with her mother, J16.
‘I am sobbing’: Mother orca still carrying her dead calf — 16 days later

I’ve been following along since day 5. I can’t stop thinking about her and feeling her palpable grief. I pray, though, that somehow she will find the peace to take care of herself. It’s all just so heartbreaking.

 

[Seattle1]

I’ve been following along since day 5. I can’t stop thinking about her and feeling her palpable grief. I pray, though, that somehow she will find the peace to take care of herself. It’s all just so heartbreaking.

It's indeed a very difficult story. She has an 8 year old son, one miscarriage, and now this baby is lost to her. I've speculated that this was her last opportunity to calf but others say she has more years but I don't think she's healthy enough.

 

[Elainera]

Canada not ready to treat endangered young killer whale under U.S. plan

On the U.S. side of the line, officials say they have boats loaded and permits in place to approach the whale and deliver antibiotics if weather allows and the animal's health warrants.

Not so in Canada, where she was spotted with her mother Tuesday near Port Renfrew, B.C., on Vancouver Island.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada said Wednesday no one has even applied to take those steps.

Canada not ready to treat endangered young killer whale under U.S. plan | CBC News

More about the reasons in the article.

 

[DakotaMayi]

It's indeed a very difficult story. She has an 8 year old son, one miscarriage, and now this baby is lost to her. I've speculated that this was her last opportunity to calf but others say she has more years but I don't think she's healthy enough.

Yes, while in years (age) I think she has more time, I'm not sure that she is up to it by her health.

 

[DakotaMayi]

‘I am sobbing’: Mother orca still carrying her dead calf — 16 days later
8/8/18

Tahlequah was seen along with her entire family off the coast of the Olympic Peninsula. J50, the ailing 3 1/2-year-old orca in the same family also was seen, along with her mother, J16.
‘I am sobbing’: Mother orca still carrying her dead calf — 16 days later

What a moving picture. It reminds me of the PETA video about Orkid. Let me get it:

 

[Ozoner]

So sad. Animals have feelings, humans treat them so cruelly so unnecessarily

Agreed. The cruelty is especially heinous in China. In the Guangdong region, they will tie a donkey down and cut out pieces of the meat while it is still alive so that people can have the thrill of eating meat from a live animal.
8 Animals Eaten Alive in China - Graphic Content - China Underground

 

[Elainera]

Update on Aug 8 on the NOAA website re J50:

"DFO spotted Jpod in U.S. waters off the Olympic Peninsula northwest of Neah Bay, Wash. J50/Scarlet was with her mother, J16, known as Slick. Teams are prepared to attempt a response tomorrow, if there is opportunity."

Updates on Southern Resident Killer Whales J50 and J35 :: NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region

 

[Elainera]

Some good news:

"A federally organized response team was able to administer antibiotics to the ailing, “very skinny” 3-year-old orca J50 in U.S. waters near San Juan Island on Thursday, NOAA announced Thursday night.

“Progress!” NOAA Fisheries declared in a tweet. “Response teams reached J Pod today in Canadian waters & followed them into U.S. waters near San Juan Isl. While very skinny & small, J50 kept up with her mother & siblings. Veterinarian Marty Haulena from the Vancouver Aquarium got a thorough look at her.

“The team obtained a breath sample to help assess infection & and gave antibiotics. Next step is to determine whether to proceed w/ trial feeding, depending on conditions & location of the whales. Great work by the teams on the water!”

‘Progress!’ Response team able to give antibiotics to ailing, ‘very skinny’ southern resident killer whale

And about J35 and her calf from the same article:

"J35 was spotted Wednesday carrying her dead calf, marking the 16th day of her "tour of grief." She appeared to be in good health, but carrying her offspring's carcass for more than two weeks is likely taking some toll, researchers said.

They are worried she isn't getting enough time to forage for food. Her immediate family has been spotted helping her eat.

Her dead calf - which lost its rigidity a week ago - is holding up remarkably well, NOAA officials said. Cold water may attribute to the lack of decomposition.

Still, most hope she'll drop her dead calf soon just to avoid undue stress."


I'm so glad Scarlet got the medication. Hopefully it helps her.

 

[DakotaMayi]

Some good news:

"A federally organized response team was able to administer antibiotics to the ailing, “very skinny” 3-year-old orca J50 in U.S. waters near San Juan Island on Thursday, NOAA announced Thursday night.

“Progress!” NOAA Fisheries declared in a tweet. “Response teams reached J Pod today in Canadian waters & followed them into U.S. waters near San Juan Isl. While very skinny & small, J50 kept up with her mother & siblings. Veterinarian Marty Haulena from the Vancouver Aquarium got a thorough look at her.

“The team obtained a breath sample to help assess infection & and gave antibiotics. Next step is to determine whether to proceed w/ trial feeding, depending on conditions & location of the whales. Great work by the teams on the water!”

‘Progress!’ Response team able to give antibiotics to ailing, ‘very skinny’ southern resident killer whale

And about J35 and her calf from the same article:

"J35 was spotted Wednesday carrying her dead calf, marking the 16th day of her "tour of grief." She appeared to be in good health, but carrying her offspring's carcass for more than two weeks is likely taking some toll, researchers said.

They are worried she isn't getting enough time to forage for food. Her immediate family has been spotted helping her eat.

Her dead calf - which lost its rigidity a week ago - is holding up remarkably well, NOAA officials said. Cold water may attribute to the lack of decomposition.

Still, most hope she'll drop her dead calf soon just to avoid undue stress."


I'm so glad Scarlet got the medication. Hopefully it helps her.

YES! So glad to hear some good news, especially today. C'mon J35, let your baby go over the bridge and save yourself.

 

[Seattle1]

Researchers won’t take dead orca calf away from mother as she carries it into a 17th day

Tahlequah was continuing to carry her calf for the 17th straight day on Aug. 9. Here she is photographed carrying her calf at Point No Point on the south shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The calf’s body is beginning to decompose. (Courtesy of the Center for Whale Research).

As Tahlequah [J35] carries her deceased calf for a 17th straight day, and concerns mount about her health, taking the calf away is not an option because of the tight bond between Tahlequah and the rest of the pod to her baby — dead or alive, experts say.

“These are very intelligent animals, and the loss of this animal is quite profound for the matriline and everyone who witnesses it,” said Sheila Thornton, lead killer-whale scientist for Fisheries and Oceans Canada. She saw Tahlequah continuing to carry the calf Tuesday as J pod traveled south to the outer coast of Cape Flattery, Wash.


Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research on Thursday saw Tahlequah still continuing to carry the calf, born July 24, for the 17th straight day. He estimated she has carried the calf more than 1,000 miles. The carcass is starting to come apart; the calf’s insides were visible atop Tahlequah’s head Thursday morning. Yet still she clings to the body of her baby.

Researchers won’t take dead orca calf away from mother as she carries it into a 17th day

 

[DakotaMayi]

Good, I am glad they won't take it. She needs to do this herself, she is too intelligent to just carry on after having some foreign creature (humans) take her baby from her.

 

[Elainera]

I agree Ana and believe as many do that she holds on to her baby due to grief.

However I also wonder whether there's more to it. As I understand it such extended grief has never been seen in orcas - the normal behaviour would be for a mother to carry her dead newborn for a few days but not as long as Taleqhah is currently doing.

From my work with stray dogs I know that unusual behaviour in animals is always a cause for concern and often there's a serious illness or injury behind it. I don't know of course if this is the case with Taleqhah, maybe a hormone imbalance? I hope not because it's unlikely that she could be helped or even correctly diagnosed.

I read in today's articles that the calf is now "breaking apart". I hope she'll be able to let go soon.