While watching the news during the past few weeks, I was especially moved by the story of Tahlequah, a female orca in the waters north of Seattle whose newborn calf died shortly after birth. While I understand that we humans too often tend to anthropomorphize animal behavior, what happened next was so relatable and moving to me as a mother. Rather than abandon her calf’s body to the ocean, Tahlequah buoyed its body up onto her back, carrying it for 17 days before finally relinquishing it to a … [Read more...]