2021 Sets Record for Number of Humpback Whale Calves in Salish Sea
Slate and her son, Malachite, taken in May 2021. Photo: Sara Hysong-Shimazu, Maya’s Legacy, PWWA
2021 Sets Record for Number of Humpback Whale Calves in Salish Sea
Naturalists Report More Than 20 New Humpbacks Photographed This Season
SEATTLE, WA & VICTORIA, BC - October 22, 2021 - The Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) today reported that a record number of calves have been photographed in the Salish Sea this season. Specifically, 21 calves have been documented by whale watchers and researchers throughout inland Washington and British Columbia. According to Mark Malleson of Center for Whale Research, that is the highest annual number on record so far for the region, and is nearly twice as many as were reported in 2020, when 11 calves were documented.
Fall brings the peak of humpback whale activity as the whales seize their last feeding opportunities before traveling south for winter. An adult humpback whale can eat roughly 2,000 pounds (900 kg) of fish and krill each day. In the coming months, Salish Sea humpback whales will swim to breeding grounds near Hawaii, Mexico, and Central America to give birth and mate, returning in late spring.
“2021 has been a banner year for female humpbacks coming into the Salish Sea with new calves,” says Wendi Robinson, naturalist with Puget Sound Express, based in Port Townsend and Edmonds, WA. “Calves only travel with mom for a year or so and then they’re on their own. Once they’re familiar with our waters, they will often return year after year to feed.”
One mom and calf duo, BCX1068 “Split Fluke” and her newest calf, a female, recently delighted onlookers near the US/Canada border south of Victoria. “The calf started things off with a few tail slaps, which mom then joined in on,” says Val Shore, a naturalist with Eagle Wing Tours in Victoria, BC. It’s believed tail-slapping is a way humpback whales communicate with each other. Split Fluke, born in 2006 to mom BCY0160 “Heather”, has been matched through photographs to Mexican breeding grounds in winter. This year’s calf, not yet named, is Split Fluke’s third, and represents a third generation of Salish Sea humpback whales.
Another pair have an extra special story. This past March, Sam Murphy, a naturalist for Anacortes-based Island Adventures Whale Watching since 2017, was doing seasonal work 3,000 miles away in Hawaii when she spotted a humpback whale with a youngster in tow. In a remarkable coincidence, Sam was able to identify the whale as MMY0183 “Dreamer”, a female humpback that has been photographed in recent years feeding near Victoria and the Canadian Gulf Islands during the summer.
“Our community was excited to receive the March report from Hawaii,” says Erin Gless, Executive Director of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, “and we’re thrilled to say that both mom and baby have arrived safely in the Salish Sea.” Dreamer and her young calf were seen earlier this week by PWWA naturalists in the Strait of Georgia.
As to the cause of this year’s baby boom, Gless can only speculate. “We’re not sure why there were so many calves this year,” she says. “It’s possible the last two years had an abundance of food for the whales, or it could be as simple as the fact that as the number of adult whales in the population grows, so too does the number of calves we can expect to see each year.”
Humpback whale Divot and son feeding. Photo: Val Shore, Eagle Wing Tours, PWWA
Humpback whale calf breaching. Photo: Val Shore, Eagle Wing Tours, PWWA
Humpback whale Dreamer and newborn calf near Kona, Hawaii in March 2021. Photo: Sam Murphy, Hawaiian Adventures Kona
Dreamer and calf in the Strait of Georgia in Fall 2021. Photo: Tasli Shaw, Ocean Ecoventures, PWWA
Zig Zag and calf. Photo: Ashley Keegan, Wild Whales Vancouver, PWWA
Nearly 30 Bigg’s Killer Whales Spotted Locally Over Labor Day Weekend
T37A “Volker”, mom of five, breaches. Photo: Bart Rulon, Puget Sound Express, PWWA
Nearly 30 Bigg’s Killer Whales Spotted Locally Over Labor Day Weekend
New Yearly Sightings Record Set in 2021
SEATTLE, WA & VICTORIA, BC - September 8, 2021 - The Pacific Whale Watch Association reported seeing nearly different 30 Bigg’s killer whales over the Labor Day holiday weekend in the Salish Sea, the body of water that includes the Puget Sound, Strait of Georgia, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the San Juan Islands. This coincides with local research organization Orca Behavior Institute (OBI) recently announcing some good news about Bigg’s killer whales in the area.
According to OBI’s Director, Monika Wieland Shields, Bigg’s have set a new sightings record in the region, with 793 unique sightings of Bigg’s killer whales as of Monday, and more than four months still remaining in 2021. The previous record of 747 unique sightings was set in 2019. A “sighting” is a report of a unique group of whales on a given day. Meanwhile, Shields also states more than 70 different Bigg’s killer whales were documented just last month in the Salish Sea. Killer whales are identified using markings on their dorsal fins and backs.
Captain Paul Pudwell of Sooke Coastal Explorations, based in Sooke, BC, came across seven different families of Bigg’s killer whales on a single 3-hour trip on Saturday. “I’ve never seen so many Bigg’s at once”, says Pudwell. “It was a special day.”
Unlike endangered Southern Resident killer whales that feed primarily on declining populations of Chinook salmon, Bigg’s killer whales hunt seals, sea lions, and porpoises. An abundance of food has led to the births of more than 130 calves over the last decade, a population growth rate of more than 4% per year. Naturalist Bart Rulon of Port Townsend and Edmonds-based Puget Sound Express had a memorable encounter with one Bigg's family known as the T37A’s. At the age of 27, matriarch T37A “Volker” has given birth to five babies since 2007. Rulon and passengers saw Volker breach completely out of the water multiple times.
Once referred to as transient killer whales, the whale watching and research communities have transitioned toward labeling them Bigg’s killer whales after orca research pioneer Dr. Michael Bigg. Bigg’s killer whales are now one of the primary types of whales seen by local whale watchers. With an almost daily presence, the name “transient” no longer seems fitting. Conversely, due to dwindling salmon returns, Southern Resident killer whales have been largely absent in 2021, seen just a handful of days since April.
“The contrast in health between these two orca populations is striking,” says Erin Gless, Executive Director of the Pacific Whale Watch Association. “Bigg’s prove that killer whales can thrive in this region, so long as there is food. If we can restore local salmon populations, we have hope that Southern Residents can recover. The priority has to be getting them more food.”
Recently, a young member of the salmon-eating Southern Resident population, J56 “Tofino”, was observed by scientists with the research group SR3 in poor health. As a result, J56 was deemed “vulnerable” by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife meaning licensed whale watching companies may not approach within 1/2 nautical mile of J56 if she is seen in the area. The PWWA is urging all boaters on the Salish Sea to follow these professional regulations.
Southern Residents belonging to J Pod were reported in Puget Sound on Tuesday. Bigg’s killer whales were also spotted in Puget Sound Tuesday as well as near Victoria and the San Juan Islands.
A Bigg’s killer whale defies gravity near Victoria. Photo: Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Exploratiosns, PWWA
Bigg’s killer whales in the San Juan Islands. Photo: Nina Hall, Western Prince Whale Watching, PWWA
T19C “Spouter”. Photo: Melisa Pinnow, San Juan Excursions, PWWA
Regional Safety Advisory: Avoid Releasing Balloons
Humpback whale surfaces near a balloon: photo credit Val Shore/Eagle Wing Tours/PWWA
Photo courtesy of Eagle Wing Tours/PWWA
Photo courtesy of Eagle Wing Tours/PWWA
Photo courtesy of Eagle Wing Tours/PWWA
Balloons Pose Grave Dangers To Sea- and Land-based Wildlife
Nearly 100 Balloons Retrieved From Salish Sea in Past Week Alone
FRIDAY HARBOR, WA and VICTORIA, BC (June 30, 2021) – With both Canada Day and the July 4 holidays fast approaching, along with a continued cadence of graduations, birthday parties, anniversaries, and other occasions, the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) is urging residents on both sides of the Canada-US border to NOT release balloons for any celebration.
Balloons present hazardous and deadly consequences for wildlife throughout the region, including but not limited to whales, seals, porpoise, sea lions, otters, as well as birds and numerous other land-based animals.
To date, PWWA naturalists in British Columbia and Washington State have spotted and picked up hundreds of balloons this year – including a single string of 20 graduation party balloons – and are finding and retrieving more of the floating hazards than ever before. There is speculation within the whale watch community that following the past year and the challenges we all faced during COVID, people are spending more time outdoors and they inadvertently lose balloons during their outdoor activities or release balloons without anticipating where they will actually land.
This past week alone nearly 100 balloons were retrieved, and during two recent whale-watching tours naturalists aboard Victoria, BC-based Eagle Wing Whale Watching Tours spotted and picked up ten large mylar party balloons that could have easily been ingested by nearby humpback whales or other wildlife.
“While we understand the intentions are celebratory, we urge everyone to fully understand that releasing balloons—any type, anywhere, anytime—is environmentally destructive. And it’s incredibly dangerous to wildlife and to our overall environment,” said Valerie Shore, naturalist with Eagle Wing Tours. “This humpback whale could easily have been lunge-feeding and accidently scooped the balloon into its mouth. Humpback throats are not large—about the size of a grapefruit—so this balloon could have created huge problems for this whale or others nearby.”
In addition, with this week’s record-breaking heat and dryness, balloons can cause fires by becoming entangled with power lines, transformers, and other equipment that can spark fast-spreading fires. Untethered balloons cause dozens of outages every year and they can lead to serious injuries or damage to electrical equipment if they drift into power lines.
There are many viable alternatives to releasing balloons, including: planting trees or flowers in someone’s honor; flying kites, flags, banners, streamers, and dancing inflatables; or simply handing out ribbon dancers or displaying garden spinners.
‘Humpback Comeback’ Continues in 2021 as Whales Return to Salish Sea
Pop Tart, a sibling of Big Mama, lunge feeding at the surface. Nicknamed because he/she loves to "pop" out of the water and is known for lots of breaching ever since a baby. Pop Tart has a reputation for being mischievous.
Photo by April Ryan/Maya’s Legacy/PWWA
In Rare Event, Three Sibling Humpbacks Spotted Near One Another
FRIDAY HARBOR, WA and VICTORIA, BC (June 22, 2021) – Whale watchers are calling it a “Humpback Comeback” as hundreds of humpback whales now regularly return every year to the Salish Sea, including this year. Driven by the return of famed humpback whale “Big Mama,” as well as rare sightings of three of her calves in close proximity, 2021 has naturalists and researchers abuzz.
Since whale researchers first documented just a single humpback whale in 1997 the humpback whales that migrate each summer to feed in the nutrient-rich waters of the Salish Sea now number in the hundreds.
A pioneer and significant contributor to this population increase, Big Mama has given birth to six calves that have each returned to these inland waters at one time or another. Whale watchers reported seeing her traveling with her first calf in 2003. Big Mama has since had calves in 2006, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016. With so much breeding success, the nickname Big Mama has really stuck.
When Big Mama arrived in late April 2021, the whale watch community was extremely excited to see her return, as she often marks the beginning of the humpback whale watching season throughout the region. Dozens more humpbacks have arrived since then, and this past week, something happened that had the whale watch and research community abuzz.
THREE HUMPBACK SIBLINGS SIGHTED
Three calves of Big Mama were sighted feeding within a few hundred meters of each other in waters off Port Angeles, Washington last Saturday. Humpback whales are not known to have close family ties, leaving their mothers at less than a year old. The fact that three siblings were seen in such close proximity to each other has piqued the interest of humpback whale researchers. The three whales were identified by the whale watching community as Split Fin (2006), Tulip (2012), and Pop Tart (2016), her most recent calf.
“We arrived on scene to find three beautiful humpback whales actively lunge feeding in glass-calm conditions under the snow-capped peaks of the Olympic Mountains, just outside of Port Angeles,” said naturalist Samantha Murphy aboard the Island Explorer 5, based in Anacortes. “All three humpbacks were within close proximity to one another, but focused on foraging for bait-fish within separate current lines. As we visited each whale and started to gather ID photos, we were shocked and elated to realize that all three whales were siblings!”
“Not only did we get to witness the power and grace of these feeding giants,” added Murphy, “Pop Tart showed off how they earned their name by fully breaching right in front of us! To say it was a magical evening is an understatement. This trip will go down in the books for the 2021 whale watching season.”
BIG MAMA’S HISTORY IN THE REGION
To whale watching professionals, she is known as Big Mama; to passengers, she is a blow and a pair of flukes; and to the ecosystem, she’s a game-changer.
In 1997, Big Mama was sighted for the first time by Mark Malleson, a seasoned professional zodiac skipper with Prince of Whales Whale Watching in Victoria, BC. He didn’t know she was Big Mama at the time of course. She was simply one of the first humpback whales to be spotted in the Strait of Juan de Fuca in nearly 100 years.
When Mark’s friend, fellow whale watcher and photographer, Brian Glennon submitted a photo of the humpback to the Victoria Times Colonist newspaper, he was told they would not print it because they didn’t accept photoshopped photos. The photo of course,was unaltered, they just couldn’t believe that there was a humpback here. No one had ever heard of such a thing. Mark said “The very first humpback that I ever saw was Big Mama near Race Rocks in the fall of 1997. I saw her again in 1999 and then not again until 2003. She has not missed a year since then to return to these waters.”
In recent years over 500 individual Humpback whales have been documented and cataloged in the Salish Sea.
BIG MAMA’S OFFSPRING
Unnamed (b. 2003). Big Mama’s first known calf, and one of the first calves to return to the Salish Sea as a summer feeding ground.
Split Fin (b. 2006). (present Saturday, June 12) Presumed male since has never been seen with a calf. Nicknamed because he has a split down his dorsal fin likely from an injury. He has been matched to winter breeding grounds in Hawaii.
Canuck (b. 2010). Sadly presumed deceased after being entangled in 2011. Entanglement remains a significant threat to these beautiful, slow-moving leviathans.
Tulip (b. 2012). (present Saturday, June 12) Nicknamed for a mark on her tail that looks like a tulip. A known female, she gave birth to her first known calf last year which officially makes Big Mama a grandmother.
Beak (b. 2014). Not much known but still seen regularly in the Salish Sea.
Pop Tart (b. 2016).(present Saturday, June 12) Nicknamed because he/she loves to "pop" out of the water, and is known for lots of breaching ever since a baby. Has a reputation for being mischievous.
Whale Watchers Hit ‘Grand Slam’ Mother’s Day Weekend
Pacific Whale Watch Association Members Spot Four Whale Species On One Trip
Humpback mother “Slate” and her calf were seen on Mother’s Day as part of a “Grand Slam” of four whale species sighted on one whale watching trip.
Photo by Brooke McKinley/Outer Island Expeditions/PWWA
FRIDAY HARBOR, WA (May 11, 2021) – For professional whale watchers, hitting a “Grand Slam” is a rare treat that doesn’t happen often, but when it does it’s cause for celebration. A Grand Slam refers to sighting four species of whales during one whale watching adventure.
The Pacific Whale Watch Association announced that on Mother’s Day Sunday, at least two professional whale watching companies each hit a “Grand Slam,” sighting a minke and a gray whale in Rosario Strait, a humpback mom and calf near Waldron Island, and several Bigg’s killer whales in the area.
With the arrival of gray whales to the region in early Spring, an abundant population of Bigg’s killer whales throughout the area year-round, and humpback whales just starting to return from their winter migrations, the Salish Sea abounds with marine mammals this time of year.
“It doesn't happen often, but we had a Grand Slam whale watch today!” said Captain Matt Stolmeier of Outer Island Excursions. “A gray whale, minke whale, several matrilines of Bigg’s killer whales, and we wrapped it up with a perfect Mother's Day treat, a mom and calf humpback pair. It was a beautiful day on the water, and I even got to stop offshore at my parent’s house to wave and yell happy Mother’s Day to my mom.”
“This is my 15th season working on a whale watching boat and yesterday was only my 8th Grand Slam ever,” said Naturalist & photographer Brooke McKinley, “and we were elated to have BCX1210 ‘Slate’ and her new calf on Mother's Day. It was a glorious day, sunshine, flat calm waters and whales everywhere!”
In the past some whale watch companies have celebrated a Grand Slam by handing out trophies to the crew, while other crews take the plunge in the cold waters of the Salish Sea after their trip. Regardless of how individual whale watch companies celebrate a Grand Slam, the fact that there are so many whales to see this time of year in the Salish Sea is something to celebrate in and of itself.