The U.S.'s Center for Whale Research says an iconic orca named J28 has died after months of losing weight, which could also bring about the death of her latest offspring, J54, who was born in late 2015.
University of Victoria Orca expert Jason Colby says that due to J28's death, J54 will most likely not survive because he needs his mother's milk to survive and has gone too long with inadequate nutrition.
“Sometimes the females in the pod will step in but that does not appear to be happening in this case which means the whale will likely die.”
The centre says the pod is now reduced in size to 80 animals, down from 85 in January, 2016.