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Killer Whale Baby Boom Is Good News, But Why So Many Males?

One of the new killer whale calves, J54, is pictured in Puget Sound. (Dave Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research)
One of the new killer whale calves, J54, is pictured in Puget Sound. (Dave Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research)

There is good news in the killer whale world: Nine new calves have been spotted in and around Puget Sound – the biggest killer whale baby boom since 1977 for that community of 84 killer whales.

But there appears to be an imbalance in the sex ratio. It may be as lopsided as eight males to one female. Here & Now’s Robin Young speaks with Vicki Croke, host of The Wild Life blog, about the mystery.


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