[CINC] Update on Suspected Blue Whale Giving Birth in SB Channel

[Shauna.Bingham at noaa.gov]

>From Cascadia Research Collective Research Biologist, John Calambokidis regarding a recent report claiming a blue whale may have given birth in the SB Channel:
"The account of the sightings of this mom had been sent to me a number of weeks ago (a mom seen without a calf and then several days later with a calf) and I had explained that I had seen her earlier to those reports already with a calf and so it was not a SB Channel birth (or at least these events did not show it to be one). Apparently that account and possible conclusion had gotten some traction and perhaps my explanation did not make it to everyone involved.  I am pretty sure this was the source incident and our sightings show she already had a calf when first seen here. I suspect that the reported sightings of her without a calf were likely because the calf was hard to see with a very small blow and did not surface every time with the mom. I suspect the small size of the calf and the emaciated state of the mom are likely related in that she may be struggling to provide adequate food for the calf."
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