Peachy-Colored Newborn Orca Spotted in Washington; Is the Rare Sighting Normal?

A peachy-orange color orca was spotted in Washington. However, experts wonder who its mother is.

Peach-Orange Orca in Washington

A baby orca with a "peachy" tint has been observed in a Southern Resident pod in Washington. The Center for Whale Research shared a snap of it on Facebook. Researchers Mark and Maya Sears saw the calf on Dec. 26 in Puget Sound, Washington. One of the most well-known Southern Resident pods, the J pod, is the one to which the calf belongs.

The female orca J40, "who has not yet had a calf, as well as other J pod females," was seen swimming with it, according to the Center for Whale Research. Although J40 appears to be the most likely mother, the researchers were still unsure and said they would try to corroborate it in their next meeting.

The sex o the calf has remained unknown. They hope to see more of the calf and its mother in the upcoming days, weeks, and months. They hoped the duo would thrive.

As this calf was not seen with the pod during the most recent sightings, the Center for Whale Research noted that it is most likely a newborn. It was most likely only a few days old when observed on Dec. 26.

The founder and director of The Whale Trail, Donna Sandstrom, said orcas are quite easy to detect in the wild since they are born with a "really distinctive peachy color" that "stays that way for a couple of weeks."

According to Mark, the calf appeared healthy. It even attempted a tail-slap. It was reportedly tail-slapping drills, which they found "amazing."

The preservation of the Southern Resident orca population depends on sightings like this.

The Orca Conservancy notes that with the new calf's birth, their total population now stands at 77. The L and K pods are two other known pods of Southern Resident orcas.

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Is A Peachy-Orange Orca Normal?

While the sighting was rare, it was normal. Although orcas are popular for their black and white colors, they are born with peach-orange color.

According to scientific theory, calves' lack of a thick coating of blubber at birth causes blood vessels close to the skin's surface to produce this color pattern. The majority of calves turn black and white in their first year of life.

Additionally, calves are born with whiskers. However, they lose their facial hair soon after birth. However, the hair follicles remain visible.

Orcas are known for their wit. These apex predators are smart. In fact, they use icebergs to rub their itchy skin.

The startling skincare regimen used by killer whales was first revealed in a National Geographic television series called "Incredible Animal Journeys." A group of orcas was spotted swimming close to an iceberg in Antarctica. According to the teaser, They use the iceberg as "scratching posts" to rub their irritated skin.

"This is behavior so rare that it's only been witnessed by a handful of people," said Sarah Gibbs, one of the series' producers. "We all need to look after our skin, but this pod of orca has a unique problem. Unable to molt in these sub-zero seas, a yellowy green algae builds up on their skin."