An orca calf born to J36, aka Alki, in Rosario Strait died within the past three days, the Center for Whale Research reported Saturday.

A southern resident killer whale from J Pod was spotted pushing a dead calf through the water Friday morning on the east side of the San Juan Islands, according to a news release. The calf was full-term or near full-term, the center said. It’s unknown whether it was a stillbirth or if the calf died shortly after being born.

Alki “was pushing a deceased female neonate, with umbilical cord still attached,” the release reads.

Deborah Giles, a killer whale scientist with the SeaDoc Society, said Alki is 26 years old. She has had several miscarriages. Her latest calf was a female orca.

“From a biological perspective, it’s challenging, because she’s put all

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