Mother Orca Refuses to Abandon Her Dead Baby

Mother Orca Refuses to Abandon Her Dead Baby
Tahlequah has been keeping her lost calf afloat for seven days as o July 31. Michael Weiss, Center for Whale Research
Chris Jasurek
Updated:

In a tremendous display of grief and maternal instinct, a mother killer whale continues to keep afloat the body of her deceased calf in the waters off the Pacific Northwest.

The orca, named J35, or Tahlequah, has been carrying her dead calf since it was born on July 24. The calf only lived a few hours, the Seattle Times reported.