BELLINGHAM, Wash. – A new baby orca has been spotted in the Pacific Northwest.

The Center for Whale Research announced they received photos showing what appears to be a new southern resident orca calf in L pod near Tofino, British Columbia.

The baby looks to be more than three weeks old and would be the first new calf in the pod since L125 was born in 2021.

Researchers with the center will need to conduct on-the-water encounters with the group to determine the calf’s mother, assess the baby’s health, and assign it an alphanumeric designation.

The southern residents are struggling to survive multiple threats including a lack of adequate Chinook salmon in their foraging range, pollution and underwater noise that makes it harder for them to hunt.

If confirmed, the new calf would bring the total number of southern residents to 74.

Meanwhile, Bellingham Parks and Recreation officials posted a video of some more suspected orcas breaching the waters near Boulevard Park Monday evening, June 26th.