Killer whale lets her dead newborn go after carrying body for 17 days

A female killer whale known as J-35has stopped carrying the body of her newborn calf after 17 days, ending what scientists called "a tour of grief."

The whale was seen "vigourously chasing" salmon with her pod in the Haro Strait off the coast of Victoriaon Saturday afternoon. The calf which she'd been holding on her head was gone.

"Her tour of grief is now over and her behaviour is remarkably frisky," said a statement from the Centre for Whale Research.

The statement said the newborn's body has likely sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Researchers may not get the chance to perform a necropsy.

The calf died soon after it was born on July 24.

The mother refused to let go for more than moments at a time, pushing the carcass alongor holding its tail in her teethin waters off the West Coast.

On Saturday, the research centre said J-35appeared to be in good physical condition.

Experts called her marathon display"unprecedented" for a southern resident killer whale.

"We've had a number of dead babies that get carried for part of a day, but nothing like this," said KenBalcomb, a founder and scientist at the centre.

Orca mother, J35 and her son, J47

6 years ago

Duration 1:09

Drone video from the Center for Whale Research and the University of Exeter taken off Pile Point, on the west side of San Juan Island.

Health of each orcacrucial

Still, the newborn's death has larger meaning in the southern resident killer whalepopulation that is so endangered there are only 75 left, with no successful births in three years.

Experts say each orcais crucial to the pod's survival.

Scientists have also moved to save J-50, another whale in the endangered pod.

The young, malnourished animal was given a shot of antibiotics earlier this week in hopes of helping it fight an infection.

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