Killer whale spotted again with dead calf off Vancouver Island

A southern resident killer whale with a history of reproductive loss has been spotted carrying another dead calf off Vancouver Island, researchers say.

The orca, J31, was seen Saturday in the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Sombria Point on Vancouver Island, about 92 kilometres west of Victoria, according to the Washington-based Center for Whale Research.

“She’s had quite a few known failed pregnancies,” said research director Michael Weiss. “Unfortunately, that’s not at all uncommon in the southern residents. About two-thirds of their pregnancies aren’t carried to full term or (result) in a calf dying too early.”

The cause of this calf’s death is not known. It is also unclear if the newborn was male or female, whether the pregnancy was carried to full term, or whether the calf died after birth or was stillborn.

The calf’s death is significant because of the long-standing reproductive challenges faced by the population, said the Washington-based centre in a social media post. “For a population as small as the southern residents, the successful birth and survival of every calf matters.”

The whales face a number of threats, but one of the biggest is the lack of high-quality prey. Southern Resident killer whales depend on dwindling Chinook salmon stocks and what available salmon is out there is smaller and less fatty, said Weiss.

“Moms especially need dietary fats to keep themselves healthy and raise their kids,” he said.

The whales are also increasingly exposed to pollutants that accumulate in the environment and food chain, including contaminants that interfere with their reproductive health, he added.

“That combination of not having enough to eat, and what food there is loaded up with these (toxins), is what we think is leading to this low reproductive success and high infant mortality.”

Orca pregnancies last about 18 months and females are typically fertile until age 39.

J31, who is 31, was spotted in 2016 carrying a dead calf. She has one surviving offspring, a daughter, J56, born in 2019.

There were 76 southern resident killer whales as of July 2026, according to census data, down from about 80 in 2001 when Canada designated the population as an endangered species. The population has largely plateaued over the past five years.

In July 2018, another member of J pod, J35, carried a dead calf on her head for 17 days as she travelled more than 1,600 kilometres through the Salish Sea in what became known as a “tour of grief.”

chchan@postmedia.com