Baby whale unwell, rule issued to keep boaters away

SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has issued an emergency rule ordering commercial whale watch tours to stay farther away from an unwell baby orca to help her survive. J-56, or Tofino, as the whale is also known, was born in May 2019 to an orca known as Tsuchi, or J-31. The Seattle Times reports the whale’s declining condition was reported to the state by the science nonprofit SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation and Research. The group is contracted to monitor the condition of the southern resident J, K, and L pods. The state is urging all boaters to stay away from the southern residents over the holiday weekend.