Researchers have made a rare discovery of a newborn orca less than 24 hours old off the coast of Western Australia, challenging previous assumptions about their breeding patterns. This sighting suggests that orcas are continuing to breed during the winter months, providing valuable insights into their behavior outside of the summer breeding season.
A newborn orca less than 24 hours old has been spotted in a rare sighting in Western Australia. The animals are frequently seen off Bremer Bay in summer, but calves are typically at least six months old when first sighted. This sighting suggests the animals are continuing to breed during the winter months. The newborn orca, only a few hours old, has been photographed off Bremer Bay on Western Australia's southern coast. Research ers say this could provide answers about the species' behavior.
Orcas are frequently seen during the summer months in the Bremer Canyon, off the coast of the small town 500 kilometers south-east of Perth. Researchers study the animals from the killer whale watching boats which operate during this period, but many questions about the orcas, such as where they go in the winter, remain unanswered. 'We spotted some familiar fins in the distance and as we came on we recognized these five adult whales as a family we have seen just a few days before,' said Ms. Hysong-Shimazu. 'I shouted to one of our other crew members, 'There's a new calf!' 'We haven't had a calf in this family for years and it was really exciting; the whole boat kind of erupted.' The calf could have been as young as a few hours old, as the fin — which becomes firm within 24 hours of being born — still appeared soft. 'I think the last brand-new calf we saw was back in 2021,' she said. 'Generally speaking, when we're seeing what we consider new calves, they're already seven to eight months old by the time we see them during our season.' Orcas are part of the dolphin family, but are also commonly known as killer whales because some types have been observed hunting whales larger than themselves. They have a gestation period of 18 months, which had led researchers to believe mating predominantly occurred in the Canyon area during the summer months. 'There's such a high concentration of killer whales here in the Bremer Canyon system during the summer,' Ms. Hysong-Shimazu said. 'There's a lot of socializing going on and likely a lot of mating that usually the calves are born two winters from then.' Knowledge of the animals' movements and behavior outside of the summer months is scant, and Ms. Hysong-Shimazu said this sighting could offer some new insights. 'What this is telling us is that this calf was conceived in the winter and that wherever they're going, they're interacting with each other there,' she said. Researchers will follow the growth of the new calf they've named Wren until the killer whale watching season ends in April. 'We gave it the name Wren, which is the middle name of a new baby born into the Bremer Bay human community,' Ms. Hysong-Shimazu said
ORCA NEWBORN WESTERN AUSTRALIA BREMER BAY BREEDING RESEARCH WHALE WATCHING WILDLIFE
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