This year seems to be good for endangered orcas in Washington’s Puget Sound as a new calf was seen on 24th October. The newly spotted calf has sparked hope for sound’s orcas whose numbers are booming in 2015.

The new calf has been designated as J53 by the Center for Whale Research. The agency confirmed the presence of the baby orca and said that J53 is the sixth calf born into population since last December.

The new calf was spotted on Saturday with J17, also called Princess Angeline, in Haro Strait. As per the Center for Whale Research, 38-year-old J17 is from J-Pod. The Orca has also given birth to J53. She is also grandmother of J46 and J47, and J17 is her fourth calf.

Michael Harris, Executive Director of the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA), said the newly spotted calf has been fascinating every member of the association. The presence of new baby orca is suggesting that endangered orca population in the region is back on the track.

Harris said, “This year we've had the youngest mother on record give birth, a 10-year-old, and three of the oldest. Now we've got a grandma having a baby. Forty is definitely the new 30 among the Southerns”.

As per the executive director with the new baby calf, orca population in Puget Sound has been raised to 82. L-Pod whale Lolita is 83rd member in the family which is in captivity in Miami Seaquarium, Harris added.