Whale carries dead calf for a week off US coast
In this photo taken on July 24 provided by the Center for Whale Research, a baby orca whale is being pushed by her mother after being born off the Canada coast near Victoria, British Columbia. AP
An endangered Orca that spends time off the US north-west coast is still carrying the corpse of her calf one week after it died.
Experts with the Whale Museum on San Juan Island in Washington state have been monitoring the 20-year-old whale, known as J35, since her calf died shortly after birth Tuesday.
For days now, the whale has been balancing the dead calf on her forehead or pushing it to the surface of the water.
Jenny Atkinson, the museum's executive director, says the orca was still carrying her dead calf yesterday afternoon.
Atkinson says the Orca and her pod are going through "a deep grieving process."
The calf was the first in three years to be born to the dwindling population of endangered southern resident killer whales. There are only 75.
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
