It’s official! During a May 26 encounter with the Southern Resident Killer Whales’ J-pod, Center for Whale Research staff managed to capture photographs and drone footage of the pod’s youngest member, J59, and determine the new calf is a girl.
“Having another female is good news for the southern residents; the population’s growth is largely limited by the number of reproductively aged females. While one calf won’t save the population, we hope that J59 can grow to adulthood and contribute to future generations of southern residents,” the centre said in a statement.
The new calf was discovered on March 1, but researchers weren’t able to determine her sex at that time.
READ MORE: Transport Canada introduces added measures to protect southern resident killer whales
READ MORE: VIDEO: New record, Victoria expert says 72 whales spotted the most in one day
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Let the South Island show you its Spirit