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Mother Whale Mourns Her Calf

Vocab level: C1
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Now the mother whale in the Northwest and her apparent act of mourning.
It's a scene that has researchers taking a close look at the emotions of these massive creatures.
Heartbreak for a pod of endangered orcas in the Pacific Northwest.
A grieving mother whale, known as J35,
has been seen this week carrying the body of her deceased calf in what researchers are calling an act of mourning.
J35 made headlines while doing the same thing seven years ago after losing a different calf.
She carried its remains for more than 1,000 miles over 17 days.
To be back in that same situation again is just truly traumatic for all of us, including the whale.
Calf mortality is high; only 50% of newborn orcas make it to their first birthday.
And researchers warn that southern resident killer whales, like J35, may be on the brink of extinction
due to the scarcity of food, pollution, and vessel noise, which disrupts hunting.
J35's mourning is just the latest example of curious behavior from orcas.
Groups of killer whales have been attacking ships in Europe,
ripping off rudders, and even sinking yachts.
Researchers studying this kind of behavior say it's targeted, but it amounts to teenagers playing.
Back on the West Coast, while the J-pod killer whales are mourning,
there is also reason for hope.
Researchers observed another newly born calf in the pod that is alive and appears to be doing well.
Researchers plan to monitor J35's pod for a couple more weeks...
before the southern resident whales migrate away from Seattle.