A killer whale who captured the world’s attention after carrying the dead body of her calf for 17 days across the ocean while mired in grief, has once again been hit by tragedy.

Researchers at the center were notified that a new calf had been seen traveling for several days with J Pod in the Puget Sound area Dec. 20. After observing the baby orca, they were able to confirm that Tahlequah, who scientists call “J35,” was its mother. The calf, named “J61” by the Center for Whale Research, is a female.

The bereaved whale mother who made headlines when she heartbreakingly grieved her dead baby for more than two weeks has given birth to a new calf, scientists said.

An orca that carried her dead baby across 1,000 miles of ocean for more than two weeks has tragically lost another calf. The killer whale, named J35 by researchers studying her, welcomed a daughter into the world shortly before Christmas - called J61.

The research center confirmed J35 has been seen carrying the body of J61 with her. The CWR noted this behavior was seen previously by J35 in 2018 when she carried the body of her previous calf that had died for more than two weeks — 17 days.

A mother killer whale who famously pushed the body of her dead newborn for 17 days in 2018 has lost another calf, and researchers say she is again carrying the body.