A Mother’s Grief: NKW-106

         In November 2018, we encountered a well-known killer whale group in Kvænangen. As we photo-identified each individual, we noticed something unusual about female NKW-106. Her surfacing pattern was irregular, and soon, using drones, we realized the heartbreaking truth: she was carrying a neonate calf that had died.

 

The calf’s blubber was extremely thin, as is typical for neonates, offering no natural buoyancy. Each time the mother dove, the calf sank, but she repeatedly returned to lift it, continuing on with the group, even if slightly behind because of the extra burden. This behavior, though deeply moving, is not unique. Over the years, we have documented many females from different pods carrying deceased calves, sometimes for 10 days or more. While mourning behavior in killer whales is known, its causes and implications remain poorly understood.

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What we do know is that calf mortality is largely unknown for Norwegian killer whales and the number of observed cases raises serious concerns. Deaths could result from pollution, social stress, or other factors, but the exact causes remain unclear. Understanding these patterns requires continuous monitoring: censuses of individuals, careful documentation of births, and long-term tracking of survival.

Your support allows us to continue the essential surveys necessary to monitor births and losses over time, and to uncover the hidden threats facing Norway’s killer whales.