Orca babies healthy, including Free Willy's

The third newborn killer whale spotted in the Puget Sound area within the past month looks healthy and energetic, a hopeful sign after a spate of orca deaths last year.

The two previous newborns -- including an offspring of one of the whales featured in the "Free Willy" movies -- also are looking good, according to Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research on San Juan Island
It is unusual to identify three newborn calves among the three Puget Sound pods in one year, especially in the winter when the animals are frequently traveling in the Pacific Ocean, he said.

News of the three births comes as a positive development among some serious setbacks for the population, which now stands at about 85.

Seven orcas, including adults and calves, turned up missing and were presumed dead last year. Also missing since October is L-57, or Faith, the most recognizable of the 19 whales that visited Dyes Inlet in 1997.

The newest calf, J-45, was identified February 3 as the offspring of J-14, named Samish. The 34-year-old mother gave birth to another calf, J-43, two years ago, but it did not survive its first winter.

Balcomb said the calf that died looked kind of "sickly" after it was born.

"This calf (J-45) looks much better than J-43 -- more filled out," he said.

Samish, the mom, has three other surviving offspring. She comes from one of the most interesting family groups among the three Puget Sound pods. Ruffles (J-1), the oldest male in all three pods, is her great uncle. Granny (J-2), the oldest female, is her grandmother.

Two other newborn calves, first spotted in February, also are doing well. The calf J-44 has been confirmed as the offspring of J-17, known as Princess Angeline, a 32-year-old female.

Named for Chief Seattle's daughter, Princess Angeline was one of the orcas featured in the "Free Willy" movies, according to The Whale Museum. She has two daughters.

The calf L-112 has been confirmed as the second offspring of L-86, named Surprise! She got her name because of the 14-year gap between her and her older sister, Ophelia. Surprise!'s first calf, Pooka, was born in 2005.

Killer whales are given names by The Whale Museum after they survive at least one year. The first year is usually the toughest, as the young animals must put on size and weight while keeping up with their fast-moving groups.

The food supply for the orcas, mainly chinook salmon, has been a concern the past few years. Puget Sound chinook are listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.