This baby whale is an orca named J50.
Two weeks before J50 was born, her family lost a female while giving birth. That dropped the population of the family to 77 whales. When J50 was born, two members of the pod acted as mid-wives and literally pulled the baby out of its mother. The teeth marks can still be seen on J50’s back. Some say it was a brilliantly orcastrated sea-section.
“Maybe all this exuberance somehow has something to do with that, this miracle birth,” said Michael Harris, executive director of PWWA. “Who knows? Maybe the other members of her family realize how precious she is, and how close she came to never making it into this world. Perhaps with all of this love surrounding her, this baby orca is just bursting with happiness. There’s no doubt that J50 feels safe and well-cared for, like all of these babies are. We have some amazing families out there.”
According to Michael Harris, executive director of PWWA, baby whale J50 is constantly leaping into the air and doing belly flops. They never know exactly why orcas breach, but when a young one does what J50’s been doing, over and over again, and being so playful and affectionate with family members, they lost their cold scientific analysis and just concluded she’s leaping from pure joy. It’s definitely a joy to watch.
Image: Clint “Showtime” Rivers, Eagle Wing Tours, Victoria, BC.
Source: Global News & Reddit
