elpais.com
Orca Mother Carries Dead Calf, Underscoring Endangered Species Crisis
Tahlequah, a 25-year-old orca, is again carrying her dead newborn calf, observed since January 1st in Puget Sound, Washington, after its death, highlighting the critical status of the endangered Southern Resident orca population, numbering around 75 individuals.
- What are the immediate consequences of Tahlequah's carrying of her dead calf, and what does this reveal about the Southern Resident orca population's overall status?
- Tahlequah, a 25-year-old orca, is carrying her deceased newborn calf for a second time. This follows a similar event in 2018 where she carried her dead calf for 17 days. The calf, observed alive on December 20th, was found dead on January 1st in Puget Sound, Washington.
- How does Tahlequah's behavior compare to similar instances of epimeletic behavior in other animal species, and what are the hormonal and physiological factors involved?
- This behavior, known as epimeletic behavior, is observed in various social mammals and birds, indicating a strong emotional bond between mother and offspring. The orca's actions highlight the high perinatal mortality rate among the critically endangered Southern Resident orcas, numbering around 75 individuals, down from a high of 98 in the 1990s.
- What long-term implications could Tahlequah's prolonged grieving have on her health and reproductive cycle, and what conservation measures are crucial to address the threats to her species?
- The continued carrying of the deceased calf by Tahlequah raises concerns about her well-being, including the lack of sleep and hunting impacting her health. The incident underscores the urgent need for conservation efforts to address the factors threatening the Southern Resident orca population, such as salmon scarcity and human-caused disturbances.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The framing emphasizes the emotional impact of Tahlequah's actions, using evocative language like "heartbreaking" and "overwhelming." This emotional framing could potentially overshadow the scientific context of the event. While the scientific explanations are present, the emotional narrative is given stronger prominence.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral and descriptive, although terms like "heartbreaking" and "overwhelming" add emotional weight to the narrative. These words are common in storytelling, but replacing them with more neutral alternatives would improve the objectivity of the piece. For example, "heartbreaking" could be replaced with "sad" or "unfortunate.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on Tahlequah's behavior and the emotional aspect of the story, but it could benefit from including more details about the overall health of the Southern Resident orca population. While the decline in numbers and the impact of human activities are mentioned, a deeper exploration of these factors and their relative contributions would provide a more complete picture. Additionally, information about conservation efforts and potential solutions could offer a more balanced perspective.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights the death of a newborn orca calf, contributing to the decline of an already endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale population. The decline is attributed to factors like inbreeding, pollution, noise pollution from vessels, and lack of Chinook salmon, their primary food source. These factors directly impact the sustainability of this whale population and threaten its long-term survival.