Researchers have recorded, for the first time, a wild orca giving birth. (Image credit: Krisztina Balotay)ShareShare by:
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In a first, photos show scientists in Norway witnessing the arrival of a baby orca in its natural environment.
The scientists were observing a pod of orcas (Orcinus orca) during a whale-watching expedition off the Skjervøy coastline inside the Arctic Circle when the water around the creatures rapidly became tinted a deep red due to blood, they reported.
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“Initially, I was uncertain regarding the situation,” Balotay shared in the post. “Shortly after, I spotted a small head emerge from beneath the surface. It emerged that a female had delivered her offspring right beside our location.”
Shortly after the calf’s arrival, the rest of the pod created a defensive ring encircling it. The orcas, chiefly consisting of females and younger whales, exhibited unusual levels of vitality and seemed to aggressively propel the newborn up towards the surface, which at first made the team aboard the vessel uneasy.
“We noticed them holding the calf on their backs, lifting it to the air so it could breathe,” Balotay noted. “I felt unsure if it was alive.”
Scientists from the Norwegian Orca Survey, a group involved in research and preservation, launched a drone above the orcas to gain a more detailed view. They likewise asked five additional boats involved in whale watching at the site to move out of the vicinity to allow the creatures to settle down, according to representatives of the survey in a Nov. 3 Facebook post.
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Immediately after the birth, the orcas formed a protective circle around the calf.(Image credit: Krisztina Balotay)
The orcas forcefully pushed the calf to the surface so it could breathe.(Image credit: Krisztina Balotay)
The newborn orca’s coloration is slightly more orange than that of adults.(Image credit: Krisztina Balotay)
After 15 minutes of struggle, the orca calf was able to swim on its own.(Image credit: Krisztina Balotay)
Eventually, the orca group could swim off. The calf was alive and well.(Image credit: Krisztina Balotay)
Drone video demonstrated that the calf had trouble staying afloat for the initial quarter-hour post-birth, but it appeared fit and healthy afterwards.
“The mother was identified as NKW-591, a renowned female initially documented back in 2013,” the representatives mentioned. “She has delivered numerous offspring, making her a seasoned mother.”
The calf’s dorsal fin was curved; however, this is normal during the hours immediately following the birth of a newborn, Balotay indicated in Orca Channel’s post. “Witnessing something like this in the wild was utterly incredible,” she included.
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This marks the premier documented case of an orca giving birth in the wild, as well as recording its initial hour after being born, Norwegian Orca Survey representatives communicated via Facebook. The team kept tabs on the orcas until nightfall, sustaining a distance greater than 1,000 feet (300 meters) to avoid agitating the creatures. “We likewise made sure the whales’ personal space was safeguarded by hindering other vessels from getting near,” they stated.
The Norwegian Orca Survey are hopeful that they will come across the same pod of orcas, as well as the calf, again within the next several weeks. During this period, researchers will compile the information they obtained during and after the delivery to conduct a study.
“Documenting the survival rate of calves is still a primary objective of our long-term investigations,” they stated.
Sascha PareSocial Links NavigationStaff writer
Sascha is a U.K.-based staff writer at Live Science. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Southampton in England and a master’s degree in science communication from Imperial College London. Her work has appeared in The Guardian and the health website Zoe. Besides writing, she enjoys playing tennis, bread-making and browsing second-hand shops for hidden gems.
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