Center for Whale Research confirms two calves spotted in B.C.'s Strait of Georgia

The endangered southern resident killer whale population has grown by two.

The Center for Whale Research based in Washington state says it has confirmed two new calves who were spotted during a survey of a group of whales in the Strait of Georgia on June 30.

The centre says both calves were very active and social while being observed, and neither shows any immediate signs of illness or abnormality.

The sex of the calves is still unknown, and researchers estimate that both calves are at least two months old.

The centre says these are the first calves born in L pod since 2021 and the first calves born in the L12 subgroup since 2018.

It says one of the babies is the first calf for mother L119, while the other is the third calf for L94.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2023.