Orca known for carrying dead calf in 2018 spotted carrying another dead calf in 2025

They said a mother's love knows no bounds, and the statement evidently reigns true across species.

On Jan. 1, 2025, an orca was spotted carrying her recently deceased calf in an apparent act of grief.

The whale, also known as Tahlequah, had previously made headlines in 2018 for carrying her dead calf for 17 days.

Unfortunately, the orca has lost another calf and has once again been spotted pushing the body.

"Tremendous loss"

The death of any calf is a "tremendous loss", the Center for Whale Research said.

The centre, which is dedicated to the study and conservation of Southern Resident Killer Whale, said that this loss was "particularly devastating" because Tahlequah has now lost two out of her four documented calves, both of which were female.

Her two other offspring are males— a three-year-old known as Phoenix, and a 14-year-old known as Notch.

"We respect [Tahlequah's] need to hold onto her daughter during this difficult time," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said.

"[We] will continue to monitor her situation as conditions allow."

Killer whales

Both Canada and the U.S. list Southern Resident killer whales as endangered.

They feed primarily on Chinook salmon, which has seen a decline in quantity and quality due to overfishing by humans and habitat contamination, among other factors.

Top image via @noaafisherieswestcoast/Instagram