Photos show the calf\u2019s orange coloring and fetal folds from being inside its mother\u2019s womb, the group said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese factors are normal and indicate the calf is quite young, likely a week or two at most,\u201d said Erin Gless, the whale group\u2019s executive director.<\/p>\n
Instead of the classic white, calves are born with a peachy-orange color because they have a thinner blubber layer, so the blood vessels are closer to the skin\u2019s surface, according to the Center for Whale Research.<\/p>\n
This would be Sedna\u2019s first known calf, the group said.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s 14 years old, and her name means \u201cmother of the sea\u201d in Inuktitut, an indigenous language spoken in the Canadian Arctic.<\/p>\n West Coast Bigg\u2019s killer whales \u2014 also called Transients \u2014 are apex predators that live off the Pacific Coast, according to the Georgia Strait Alliance.<\/p>\n They hunt marine mammals and are known for their \u201cdramatic hunting soirees,\u201d the environmental organization said.<\/p>\n These creatures eat sea lions, porpoises and other whales.<\/p>\n There are about 400 Bigg\u2019s killer whales swimming off the Pacific Coast that travel from northern California to Alaska and are commonly seen in the Salish Sea.<\/p>\n Unlike the endangered Southern Resident killer whales, these whales are listed as threatened under the Species at Risk Act, and their numbers are growing.<\/p>\n This article<\/a> by Helena Wegner was first published by The News Tribune on 26 March 2025. Lead Image:\u00a0A Bigg\u2019s killer whale calf is seen swimming alongside its mom in the Salish Sea off Washington. Caio Ribeiro Eagle Wing Tours \/ Pacific Whale Watch Association<\/em><\/p>\n Wildlife continues to face threats, which include hunting, poaching, illegal trade in animal products, habitat loss as well as a rapidly changing climate.<\/p>\n Become a Wildlife Champion today by supporting our conservation partners<\/a> with a monthly donation as little as $1.<\/p>\nWhat to know about Bigg\u2019s killer whales<\/h2>\n
What you can do<\/h2>\n