“A rainbow baby is a name coined for a healthy baby born after losing a baby due to miscarriage, infant loss, stillbirth, or neonatal death. The name “rainbow baby” comes from the idea of a rainbow appearing in the sky after a storm, or after a dark and turbulent time.”
In 2018, an orca named “Tahlequah” (J035) made headlines across the world as she carried the body of her dead calf on her head for 17 days. With steadfast grace in the face of what was described even by scientists as grief and despair, she swam of miles through the Salish Sea, refusing to let her baby go. Her story struck the hearts of thousands across the world, and exposed the plight of the Southern Resident Killer Whales in a way that simply hadn’t happened before.
Earlier this month, Tahlequah gave birth to a healthy and active calf - a baby boy. Today, J-Pod welcomed another new calf to the pod, to mother “Eclipse” (J041).
The birth of these two new baby whales into an endangered population is a welcome glimmer of hope and joy during what have indeed been dark and turbulent times for humans and whales alike.