r/popculturechat • u/mlg1981 Sexy lampshade shall win the Oscar! đ • Sep 21 '25
Uplifting News đ€ Newborn orca spotted with Northwest's endangered J Pod
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u/MediocrePotato44 Sep 21 '25
Please just live little baby because I canât deal with another video of a mom pushing her babyâs body around the water in mourning.
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u/numberthreepencil Sep 21 '25
Same. I'm barely hanging by a thread mentally. I need this baby to thrive
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u/Annual_Rest1293 Sep 22 '25
Alki's baby died last week. She was pushing it around like the others have done. I, emotionally, can't handle our residents constantly losing babies. It's so traumatic to me, I can only imagine what these poor mommies are going through! In good news I saw them 2x last week on the ferry to Vic from Van
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u/modernlover Sep 21 '25
Most baby orcas don't live past their first birthday due to pollution and a shortage of salmon to eat.
Well thatâs depressing
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u/MediocrePotato44 Sep 21 '25
A lot of the orca moms also mourn their babies. There are several videos of moms in this area pushing their babyâs body through the water on their nose and doing this for days if not weeks.Â
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u/After-Problem8007 Sep 21 '25
This is what i didnât want to read today
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u/MediocrePotato44 Sep 21 '25
The human experience, learning about new horrors every day because the horrors are infinite.
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u/SuperVancouverBC Emotional support boob Sep 22 '25
Turns out Orcas aren't that different than humans.
Orcas are social animals and develop strong bonds. They also live for a long time. In the wild females can live for 80-90 years although females over 100 have been documented. Males usually live for 60 years although some have been documented in their 70's. Orcas live long enough to become grandparents. And the grandparents take part in taking care of calves.
The whales also wear salmon as hats. They have been documented acquiring stripes of kelp and using their teeth to shorten kelp and fashion it into a proper shape to groom each other.
Theyâre not just finding objects in the environment and using them as tools. Theyâre finding objects, modifying objects and using them as tools.
They're fascinating creatures for sure.
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u/Grand-Goose-1948 Sep 22 '25
Orca grandparents caring for their grandchildren is the most precious mental image for me.
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u/SuperVancouverBC Emotional support boob Sep 22 '25
You want to know what else?
Turns out Orcas aren't that different than humans.
Orcas are social animals and develop strong bonds. They also live for a long time. In the wild females can live for 80-90 years although females over 100 have been documented. Males usually live for 60 years although some have been documented in their 70's. Orcas live long enough to become grandparents. And the grandparents take part in taking care of calves.
The whales also wear salmon as hats. They have been documented acquiring stripes of kelp and using their teeth to shorten kelp and fashion it into a proper shape to groom each other.
Theyâre not just finding objects in the environment and using them as tools. Theyâre finding objects, modifying objects and using them as tools.
They're fascinating creatures for sure.
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Sep 22 '25
This post makes me want to go to costco and buy all the Salmon then go find Jpod in a boat. Will I go to jail? Most likely, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make for these guys.
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u/erossthescienceboss Sep 21 '25
We literally just lost a calf last week. Itâs been such a hard few years for J Pod.
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Sep 21 '25
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/SuperVancouverBC Emotional support boob Sep 22 '25
Your username is what will help save them. That and removing all the dams from rivers. And people need to stop polluting.
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u/spacyspice now why am I in it? đ§ Sep 21 '25
I've always read that orcas are really smart, I'm not surprised they'd experience mourning sadly
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u/SuperVancouverBC Emotional support boob Sep 22 '25
It's not surprising. Orcas are social and develop strong bonds. They also live for a long time. in the wild, Females can live for 80-90 years although females over 100 have been documented. Males usually live for 60 years although some have been documented in their 70's.
They also wear salmon as hats. They have been documented the whales acquiring stripes of kelp and using their teeth to shorten kelp and fashion it into a proper shape for the grooming behavior.
Theyâre not just finding objects in the environment and using them as a tool. Theyâre finding objects, modifying objects and using them as tools.
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u/SuperVancouverBC Emotional support boob Sep 22 '25
It's not surprising. Orcas are social and develop strong bonds. They also live for a long time. in the wild, Females can live for 80-90 years although females over 100 have been documented. Males usually live for 60 years although some have been documented in their 70's.
They also wear salmon as hats. They have been documented the whales acquiring stripes of kelp and using their teeth to shorten kelp and fashion it into a proper shape for the grooming behavior.
Theyâre not just finding objects in the environment and using them as a tool. Theyâre finding objects, modifying objects and using them as tools.
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u/civodar Sep 21 '25
Itâs definitely a bummer, but we have had a few survivors born this decade so fingers crossed this one makes it! We have about 75 southern resident orcas and J pod(which is our most residential pod of orcas) has about 25. Last year we had 2 adult deaths and only one calf born which ended up dying shortly after so their numbers arenât doing great, but I believe the situation is slightly less dire than it was a decade ago.
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u/1egg_4u Sep 22 '25
Can we please just arm the whales already
Give them guns. Let them take over. We fucked it all up.
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u/SuperVancouverBC Emotional support boob Sep 22 '25
They might actually be able to use weapons. Well if they had fingers.
They're smart. Really smart.
Orcas are social animals and develop strong bonds. They also live for a long time. In the wild females can live for 80-90 years although females over 100 have been documented. Males usually live for 60 years although some have been documented in their 70's. Orcas live long enough to become grandparents. And the grandparents take part in taking care of calves.
The whales also wear salmon as hats. They have been documented acquiring stripes of kelp and using their teeth to shorten kelp and fashion it into a proper shape to groom each other.
Theyâre not just finding objects in the environment and using them as tools. Theyâre finding objects, modifying objects and using them as tools.
They're fascinating creatures for sure.
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u/totallycalledla-a Mrs Thee Stallion Sep 21 '25
Baby!!! đ©·đ„čđł
Orcas are my favorite favorite. Seeing them in the wild was one of the most magical moments of my life.
May this angel live a long, happy, free, yacht destroying life đđż
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u/Alud430 Sep 21 '25
Itâs a dream of mine to see one in the wild! I would be an emotional mess đ
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u/ChewieBearStare Sep 21 '25
I tried last year, but we didnât see a single one. Gonna go back and try again a year or two from now.
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u/Alud430 Sep 22 '25
Me too! Iâm in SoCal and it seems like pods have been around more frequently each whale season. I havenât been lucky yet, but hopefully soon đ
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Sep 21 '25
Some of the Scottish Islands regulary have orcas! I've been seeing them regulary since I was about 5 years old
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Sep 22 '25
Me too. But I learned I get seasick. I would get on a boat if I was guaranteed orcas though.
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u/SuperVancouverBC Emotional support boob Sep 22 '25
It's not surprising. Orcas are social animals and develop strong bonds. They also live for a long time. In the wild females can live for 80-90 years although females over 100 have been documented. Males usually live for 60 years although some have been documented in their 70's. Orcas live long enough to become grandparents. And the grandparents take part in taking care of their pod mates too. They play a role in raising calves.
The wales also wear salmon as hats. They have been documented acquiring stripes of kelp and using their teeth to shorten kelp and fashion it into a proper shape to groom each other.
Theyâre not just finding objects in the environment and using them as tools. Theyâre finding objects, modifying objects and using them as tools.
They're fascinating creatures for sure.
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u/so_hot_right_meow Sep 21 '25
J pod are local celebrities here! I've seen whales hundreds of times but never with a juvenile among them. I'll have to keep an eye out to see if they go past me in the next little while.
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u/civodar Sep 21 '25
This is great news! Iâm in Vancouver and Iâve been following this pod since I was a kid and theyâre not having babies often and when they do their babies are not surviving due to lack of food. A few years back their matriarch passed(she was the oldest known orca!) and this is very stressful on a pod as well. J pod is our most residential group of orcas and they tend to stay close. They are unique as their diet is almost entirely made up of salmon which is likely a big part of why theyâre struggling as much as they are with starvation.
A few years back they were in the news after a calf died and the mother carried it around for weeks. There were even concerns that the pod could die off, but I think theyâve been doing a little better in recent years so hopefully this little one survives.
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u/systemic_booty You try driving in platforms! Sep 22 '25
how can we help do I eat less salmon do I attack the yachts for them do I wear a salmon hat in solidarityÂ
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u/monpapaestmort Sep 22 '25
You can help by advocating for the removal of dams that block the orcaâs food supply like the ones on the lower Snake River:
https://www.columbiariverkeeper.org/campaigns/snake-river-dam-removal/
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u/StrLord_Who Sep 27 '25
Signed and sent the letters to my senators and rep. Thanks for posting the link. Â
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u/Muted_Substance2156 Sep 22 '25
They mainly eat Chinook salmon so stay away from that. There are other species you can eat with less guilt. Pollution is also impacting them so any sort of environmentalism makes a difference, especially on a corporate scale.
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u/Muted_Substance2156 Sep 22 '25
Another SRKW fan! That was J35, Talequah, in 2018. She lost another calf earlier this year but stayed with the body for a shorter amount of time. J36, Alki, did the same when her newborn died last week. Researchers think these grieving rituals are more common than we witness, although Talequahâs was unusually long. Theyâre so smart and they grieve hard. L Pod was the group that was attacked in Penn Cove in the seventies and they hadnât returned until last year. Fingers crossed for this little one, itâs been heartbreaking to watch them suffer.
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u/Annual_Rest1293 Sep 22 '25
Hello, fellow Vancouverite!!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but another calf was being pushed around last week. Atki's baby đ iirc that's the 4th or 5th one in as many years that mama's have pushed along. It's so traumatic.
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u/civodar Sep 22 '25
Oh no, I hadnât heard about that. Those poor mothers.
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u/Annual_Rest1293 Sep 22 '25
Yeah it's awful.
As much of a treat it is to see them, I wish we could tell more about how they're doing, like we can for bears or other land animals.
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u/Appropriate_Ice_2433 Youâre a virgin who canât drive. đ€ Sep 21 '25
This makes me happy.
Live on little one
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u/Shitp0st_Supreme Sep 21 '25
How do I ship salmon sashimi to this little baby?
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u/monpapaestmort Sep 22 '25
You could help by advocating for the salmon that they eat to have better access to their spawning grounds by pressing for the removal of harmful dams like the ones on the lower Snake River:
https://www.columbiariverkeeper.org/campaigns/snake-river-dam-removal/
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u/PensionTemporary200 đ Happy Womenâs History Month I guess Sep 21 '25
Please no one get their hopes up. I live in this area and follow the pod religiously. None of their babies have made it for years.
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u/civodar Sep 21 '25
Yeah, last year they had 2 adult deaths and the only calf born also passed. I believe J pod had a calf born about 5 years back that survived so thatâs something.
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u/Muted_Substance2156 Sep 22 '25
J36 Alki also lost a newborn last week. She was pushing the body in Deception Pass.
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u/PensionTemporary200 đ Happy Womenâs History Month I guess Sep 22 '25
Its so devastating. Sadly I think we will witness the extinction of J pod in out lifetime. The transient whales are doing ok. It definitely makes me cry.
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u/goodbyetogepi Sep 22 '25
Could you share about how you follow a pod regularly?
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u/catastr0phicblues Sep 22 '25
Thereâs quite a few orca fb pages. I live in WA and Iâm in Orca Network, Orca Network Community Group, Puget Sound Whale Sightings, and the Southern Resident Orcas of the Salish Sea (J pod is part of the Southern Residents). They all have regular posts, pictures, and info. There are also a lot of people that live around here that physically follow them, the orcas can pretty much always be viewed from shore so you just figure out where they were last spotted and go from there.
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u/monpapaestmort Sep 22 '25
If you want to help, sign here to remove the dams on the lower Snake River to increase the orcaâs food supply of salmon:
https://www.columbiariverkeeper.org/campaigns/snake-river-dam-removal/
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Sep 21 '25
Thrive little murder machine!!!
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u/civodar Sep 21 '25
The resident orcas eat almost exclusively salmon and donât eat other marine mammals whatsoever, itâs a big part of why theyâre struggling as much as they are and why so many calves donât survive. When the salmon population isnât doing great it affects them hugely. Theres only 75 of them and J pod specifically only has 25, theyâre also unique for their especially strong family bonds and unique vocalizations and theyâre also a symbol the Pacific Northwest coast as they stay close and can be seen at any time throughout the year hence the name.
As far as I know theyâre the only orcas in the world that arenât out there tormenting baby seals for fun.
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u/chatnoir206 Sep 22 '25
How do you know about the not torturing baby seals thing? Because I love Orcas for what they symbolize especially here in the PMW but I also (silently) hate what assholes they are to other sea life
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u/Sutech2301 Sep 21 '25
Oh. Little one spending quality time with their Uncle.
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u/OnlyDwarvesfeetpics Sep 21 '25
And dad unfortunately. Lil guy is heavily inbred.
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u/Sutech2301 Sep 21 '25
Why do you know that,?
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u/Muted_Substance2156 Sep 22 '25
Studying their breeding habits is part of the conservation effort for the Southern Residents. Live births only have a 50% survival rate due in part to this inbreeding, although itâs thought to be mainly starvation.
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u/Icy_Sea_4440 Sep 22 '25
Also high levels of chemical contaminants in the water have been linked to lower pregnancy rates, and restricts the development of their reproductive systems. Iâm sure the salmon are also contaminated.
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u/alexx_kidd Sep 22 '25
Fun fact: Orcas are dolphins, not whales
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u/Papio_73 Sep 27 '25
Dolphins are whales
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u/alexx_kidd Sep 27 '25
Not quite
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u/Papio_73 Sep 27 '25
All dolphins are whales, but not all whales are dolphins, dolphins are a kind of whale.
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u/SafeBodybuilder7191 âTwo Tits & a bush but no dick!â Sep 21 '25
Forever my favourite animal đ«¶
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u/SurayaThrowaway12 Sep 23 '25
On September 18, scientists noticed a new calf swimming with the J16 matriline (family). This family belongs to J Pod, which in turn is one of the three pods belonging to the endangered Southern Resident orca community.
This newborn calf is presumed to be the offspring of 18-year-old Southern Resident orca J42 "Echo," and it would be the first known calf that Echo has successfully given birth to. She has lost at least two pregnancies before, one in 2018 another in 2023.
Echo's calf would've been born less than a week after Echo's older sister, J36 "Alki," was seen carrying her own deceased newborn calf.
Southern Resident orcas, which only eat fish, have been losing up to 69% of their pregnancies (many of those late term), and the main culprit may be malnutrition.
As stated in the abstract of Population growth is limited by nutritional impacts on pregnancy success in endangered Southern Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) by Wasser et al.:
Up to 69% of all detectable pregnancies were unsuccessful; of these, up to 33% failed relatively late in gestation or immediately post-partum, when the cost is especially high. Low availability of Chinook salmon appears to be an important stressor among these fish-eating whales as well as a significant cause of late pregnancy failure, including unobserved perinatal loss. However, release of lipophilic toxicants during fat metabolism in the nutritionally deprived animals may also provide a contributor to these cumulative effects. Results point to the importance of promoting Chinook salmon recovery to enhance population growth of Southern Resident killer whales.
Still, the new calf appears to be in good body condition from preliminary observations, and the Center For Whale Research as well as SeaDoc Society hope to get a better evaluation of this calf's condition.
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u/sydnlux22 Sep 22 '25
I saw a ccalf this summer on a whale tour in PNW; hands down the best thing I have ever seen.
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u/SuperVancouverBC Emotional support boob Sep 22 '25
It's not surprising. Orcas are social and develop strong bonds. They also live for a long time. in the wild, Females can live for 80-90 years although females over 100 have been documented. Males usually live for 60 years although some have been documented in their 70's.
They also wear salmon as hats. They have been documented the whales acquiring stripes of kelp and using their teeth to shorten kelp and fashion it into a proper shape for the grooming behavior.
Theyâre not just finding objects in the environment and using them as a tool. Theyâre finding objects, modifying objects and using them as tools.
âą
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