An endangered mother orca is still clinging to her dead calf more than two weeks after her newborn died.
Tahlequah, the mother orca also known as J35, was spotted on Wednesday afternoon, still carrying her dead calf, 16 days after the newborn died.
Michael Milstein, a spokesman with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries division, says researchers on Wednesday spotted the 20-year-old whale carrying her dead young off the tip of Washington's Olympic Peninsula.
![Tahlequah, the mother orca also known as J35, was spotted Wednesday afternoon, still carrying her dead infant calf for the 16th straight day. Photo / AP](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/2VPZLLVQO2242OSISOK2UITWAU.jpg?auth=ebccaa611f4cf5e297a63b22a924d8917c2748da32ec1fd792fc0e38a5ffaa28&width=16&height=9&quality=70&smart=true)
The calf died on July 24 and the image of the mother whale clinging to the dead calf has struck an emotional chord worldwide.