Fourth orca calf spotted off shores of Long Beach Lodge Resort

Baby orca is great news for endangered resident population

Another killer whale calf has been sighted near Cox Beach. This is the fourth killer whale calf born to L-Pod, the endangered southern resident population that frequents the west coast of Vancouver Island.

The calf, named L-121, was spotted on June 1 with L-Pod near Cox Beach south of Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

  baby orca Long Beach Lodge Resort

Whale watchers and researchers are elated by the news and are hopeful this is a turning point for the pod.

"We're thrilled of course," said Michael Harris, the executive director of the Pacific Whale Watch Association in a prepared statement. "Many of us had concerns about this little whale, not just because of the problems L-Pod has had in recent years, but generally the odds baby orcas have out there. I'm one of those who think that the southerns have finally turned the corner. We've got a real chance of bringing these whales back. And hey, maybe — if that baby whale can make it, this population can."

L-Pod recently lost one calf and a three-year-old female. As well, L-121, which was first spotted in February, wasn't seen the last time the pod was observed off the coast of Oregon by NOAA Fisheries scientists.

According to a CBC report, Marcie Callewaert, a naturalist with the Victoria Marine Science Association, spent a several hours with the pod on June 1.

"L-121 was present and as energetic as ever," said Callewaert.

The June 1 sighting combined with three other calves born to J-Pod this spring, puts the population of wild southern resident orcas at 81.




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