Famed Bigg’s Killer Whale “Chainsaw” Returns; New Calf Spotted with T46B

T063 “Chainsaw” spotted in Salish Sea for first time in 2023. Credit: Sara Hysong-Shimazu, Maya’s Legacy

Famed Bigg’s Killer Whale “Chainsaw” Seen in Salish Sea 

Whale Watchers Thrilled by Beloved Orca’s Return; New Calf Also Spotted

SEATTLE, WA & VANCOUVER, BC - April 6, 2023 - The Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) today announced that one of most recognizable members of the coastal Bigg’s killer whale population, T063 “Chainsaw”, has returned to the Salish Sea. 

“A Chainsaw sighting is a telltale sign of spring,” says Erin Gless, Executive Director of the PWWA. “He makes an appearance at the same time each year. He’s a local celebrity.” 

Chainsaw, named for his distinctive jagged dorsal fin, was first spotted on Tuesday morning in Boundary Pass between the Canadian Gulf Islands and Washington’s San Juan Islands. According to Mark Malleson, a local whale researcher and captain for Prince of Whales Whale Watching, Chainsaw was traveling with his presumed mother, T065 “Whidbey”, and another family, the T049As led by matriarch “Nan”, short for Nanaimo. The whales traveled slowly north along the US/Canada border throughout the day, thrilling whale watch crews and guests alike. 

“I finally met the man, the myth, the legend,” said Lauren Tschirhart, marine naturalist for San Juan Safaris in Friday Harbor, Washington. “I’ve known about Chainsaw for years, but always missed out on seeing him. Today was my day. We made sure our guests understood how special this encounter was.”

Born in 1978, Chainsaw is considered one of the oldest males in the Bigg’s population at the age of 45. While Chainsaw’s visits to local inland waters are predictable, they are typically brief, lasting just a few weeks at a time. Beyond the Salish Sea, Chainsaw has been frequently documented throughout southeast Alaska where he is also referred to as “Zorro”.

There are nearly 400 Bigg’s killer whales that feed in the waters of Washington and British Columbia. Unlike endangered Southern Resident killer whales who rely on salmon, Bigg’s killer whales can be seen almost daily in the Salish Sea and are increasing in numbers due to the abundance of seals and sea lions in the area. On Sunday, naturalist Tomis Filipovic of Eagle Wing Tours photographed a new calf traveling with Bigg’s killer whale T046B “Raksha” near Port Angeles, WA.  If confirmed by researchers, it will be the 35-year-old whale’s seventh calf.

Chainsaw and other Bigg’s killer whales in the Strait of Georgia. Credit: Sara Hysong-Shimazu, Maya’s Legacy

T063 “Chainsaw”. Credit: Trevor Derie, Outer Island Excursions

New calf with Bigg’s killer whale T046B “Raksha”. Credit: Tomis Filipovic, Eagle Wing Tours

T046B family hunting a sea lion. Credit: Stephen Feng, Prince of Whales