2021 Was a Banner Year for Whales in Salish Sea
New Bigg’s orca calf T124A7. Photo: Karac Lindsay, Eagle Wing Tours, PWWA
2021 Was a Banner Year for Whales in Salish Sea
New Data Show Record Number of Sightings; Baby Boom Continues for Bigg’s Orcas,
Humpback Whales
SEATTLE, WA & VICTORIA, BC - January 11, 2022 - 2021 was a challenging year for many, but for whale lovers on the Salish Sea, it was one of the best years yet, according to year-end data just compiled by the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) and local researchers.
According to the PWWA, which operates year-round whale watching tours in Washington and British Columbia, Bigg’s killer whales were the most frequently documented whales in the region last year, followed by humpback whales, gray whales, and minke whales. Endangered Southern Resident killer whales were encountered least often. Their declining presence in the Salish Sea has been correlated to a decrease in Fraser River Chinook, according to PWWA naturalists. Many tours viewed more than one whale species during their trips and on Mother’s Day, multiple companies reported “Grand Slams” spotting orcas, humpbacks, minke whales, and gray whales in a single tour. PWWA vessels also administered nearly 900 protective interventions, or ‘sentinel actions,’ in the Salish Sea during 2021, detailed further below.
Monika Wieland Shields, director of Orca Behavior Institute on San Juan Island, confirmed a record-breaking presence of Bigg’s killer whales in 2021. Based on reports from professional whale watchers, regional sightings groups, and shore-based observers, Bigg’s killer whales were documented in the Salish Sea during 1,067 unique sightings across 329 days. The previous record, set in 2019, was 747 unique sightings. In contrast, salmon-eating Southern Resident killer whales were documented on just 103 days, or 28% of the year.
“It has been incredible to witness the continued rise of Bigg’s killer whales in the Salish Sea,” said Shields. “In 2021, there were days when we documented 10 different groups of Bigg’s throughout the region totaling more than 50 whales.
The Bigg’s killer whale population, which feeds on marine mammals like seals and sea lions, is growing at more than 4% per year according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 11 new Bigg’s calves were born in 2021 including the most recent, T124A7, who was spotted by PWWA member companies near Victoria on New Year’s Eve. The number 7 at the end of the calf’s ID number indicates it is the seventh baby born to 37-year old mother T124A, “Kittiwake”.
“It’s crazy to think that whales like Kittiwake have given birth to so many babies given that the gestation period for orcas is 16-18 months - almost twice that of a human”, says Erin Gless, executive director of the PWWA. “The calf looked great and at one point adorably seemed to take a turn leading the family.”
Breaching humpback whale. Photo: Simon Pidcock, Ocean Ecoventures, PWWA
Bigg’s killer whales are not the only ones experiencing a baby boom. A record 21 humpback whale calves accompanied their mothers to the Salish Sea last year, nearly doubling 2020’s count of 11. The PWWA documented humpback whales on 301 days of 2021. By now, most local humpbacks have made the journey south to breeding grounds in Hawaii, Mexico, and Central America, but a few still remain in the area.
In September, Seattle-based research organization SR3 reported three pregnancies within the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population. No new calves have been observed yet, but the youngest Southern Resident calf, L125 “Element”, estimated at one year old, was seen in late December by Center for Whale Research and appeared to be doing well.
"Big picture, 2021 was an exciting and encouraging year for whales in the Salish Sea. We look forward to what 2022 may bring," Gless added.
PROTECTING AREA WHALES
With more whales in the area than in recent history, PWWA operators undertook and documented 880 “sentinel actions” during their 2021 ecotours. Examples of sentinel actions include:
Stopping speeding vessels
Alerting ferries and cargo ships of whales in the vicinity
Removing harmful marine debris like balloons and derelict fishing gear
Educating boaters on proper viewing distances
The PWWA reports that their vessels were able to positively change the behavior of other boats around whales in at least 70% of interventions, resulting in a safer environment for the whales.
Feeding minke whale. Photo: Tyson Reed, Island Adventures Whale Watching, PWWA
Tail of gray whale #723 Lucyfer. Photo: Justine Buckmaster, Puget Sound Express, PWWA
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.
Whale Watchers Report Easter weekend ‘Hopping’
White Orca ‘Tl-uk’ Among 56 Killer Whales Sighted Easter Weekend.
Rachael Dana Merrett, Orca Spirit Adventures/PWWA
“Chainsaw” Among 56 Killer Whales Sighted Easter Weekend.
Val Shore, Eagle Wing Tours/Shoreline Photography/PWWA
“Chainsaw” and White Orca “Tl’uk” Among 56 Killer Whales Sighted
FRIDAY HARBOR, WA and VICTORIA, BC (April 6, 2021) – The Pacific Whale Watch Association reports that the Easter weekend was a memorable one, with 56 killer whales spotted throughout the Salish Sea. Over the weekend, naturalists reported four different pods of Bigg's killer whales in the Strait of Georgia, Puget Sound, and San Juan Islands. J Pod, part of the salmon-eating Southern Resident killer whale population, were also seen this weekend.
At one point, naturalists reported pods of Bigg’s killer whales straddling the San Juan Islands in both President’s Channel and Haro Strait cruising north into Canada, Bigg’s killer whales along the south end of Lopez Island cruising east, along with a report of a small pod of the mammal-eating killer whales in south Puget Sound.
In addition to the presence of 32 Bigg’s sighted throughout the region Saturday, the Southern Resident Orcas of Jpod meandered slowly up the east coast of San Juan Island in what observers reported to be a resting pattern, swimming slowly in close social groups against the outgoing tide.
Making the weekend encounters even more special was the return of “Chainsaw” who made the headlines throughout the region last week due to his first appearance of the season in the Salish Sea. The distinctive male was sighted again Saturday traveling with his extended pod up Haro Strait, boundary waters between the US and Canada.
Also among the pods was another high-profile whale born in 2018 named “Tl’uk” who garnered a considerable amount of attention last fall when the whale was seen regularly traveling through Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands before being sighted in August 2020 along the shoreline of Kuiu and Kupreanof islands in Southeast Alaska. Due to his distinctive grey and white coloration the young whale has been named “Tl’uk” which translates to “moon” in the language of the indigenous Coast Salish people.
"It's a pretty fabulous day out there whenever we see whales,” says Val Shore, a professional naturalist and photographer with Eagle Wing Whale & Wildlife Tours of Victoria, “but to have multiple groups including two ‘celebrities’ (Tl’uk and Chainsaw) in the neighbourhood is an extra special treat. This is an awesome time of year to see Bigg's killer whales. I've been doing this for over 20 years and it never gets old.”
“It was a great first trip of the season for me,” says professional naturalist Rachael Dana Merrett of Orca Spirit Adventures in Victoria. “This is my twelfth season and it was an awesome way to get back out on the water, that’s for sure.”
According to researchers, the coastal Bigg's killer whale population numbered 349 individuals in 2018 and had been growing at roughly 4% per year through most of the 2010s. Over 200 Bigg's individuals are typically documented in the Salish Sea each year.
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Photos provided courtesy, photo credit mandatory:
Val Shore, Eagle Wing Tours/Shoreline Photography/PWWA
Rachael Dana Merrett, Orca Spirit Adventures/PWWA
Video (Dropbox link below) credit: Jeff Friedman, Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching/PWWA
https://www.dropbox.com/s/o5asd86o9ghtl1s/20210403.mp4?dl=0
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FUN FACTS ABOUT TL’UK:
What is the difference between albino and leucistic? Albinism is a condition in which there is an absence of melanin. Melanin is what is present in the skin and is what gives skin, feathers, hair and eyes their color. ... Leucism is only a partial loss of pigmentation, which can make the animal have white or patchily colored skin, hair, or feathers.
Tl'uk Visited Southeast Alaska Summer of 2020! Adding to his fame, Tl'uk and his pod traveled from Puget Sound to Southeast Alaska earlier this summer and were sighted off Petersburg, AK, August 6 to10, 2020. Tl'uk and his pod were then seen in the CampbellRiver area twelve days later on August 22, returning to theSalish Sea just days later. The distance between PetersburgAK and Seattle WA is over 775 nautical miles, one way!
Tl'uk is a Coast Salish word that means "Moon." Researchers nicknamed him Tl’uk,the Coast Salish word for “moon,” because of his lunar-like grayish-white color. He is a Bigg’s killer whale first spotted in November 2018.
Tl'uk is not the only white Killer whale: In 1970 a white Killer whale was captured in Pedder Bay, BC, and displayed at Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria BC. The white whale was named "Chimo" and lived at the seaside aquarium from 1970 until it's death in 1972.In April of 2020 a white Biggs mammal-eating killer whale was sighted off the coast of Monterey, California. The white orca whale, designated OCT050C1, is part of a matriline commonly sighted off the California coast.
Famous Whale “Chainsaw” Is In The House
Among the group of Bigg’s killer whales spotted was the adult male whale T063, fondly known to naturalists and whale researchers as ‘Chainsaw’ due to his distinctive dorsal fin.
Photo credit: April Ryan, Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching/PWWA
Distinctive Killer Whale Makes Rare Visit to San Juan Islands
FRIDAY HARBOR, WA (March 29, 2021) – The Pacific Whale Watch Association today announced sighting of a rare visitor to the San Juan Islands. “Chainsaw is in the house,” exclaimed Jeff Friedman, owner of the Friday Harbor-based whale watching company Maya’s Legacy. Friedman and his passengers got a first-hand look Monday at more than ten Bigg’s killer whales swimming slowly north through Haro Strait.
Among the group of Bigg’s killer whales Friedman spotted the adult male whale T063, fondly known to naturalists and whale researchers as ‘Chainsaw’ due to his distinctive dorsal fin.
According to Sara McCullagh, captain of the Sea Lion, a coast guard certified whale watch vessel owned by San Juan Safaris out of Friday Harbor, “It was a bit of a spread across Haro Strait with the T010s, T065 and T063 on the border pointed at Turn Point, the T036As and T049As cruising the Stuart Island shoreline, while the T071s were nearby on the Canadian side of the border.”
It was a beautiful day on the water to watch whales,” says McCullagh, “and it’s always fun to see Chainsaw. He’s a bucket-list animal for a lot of us in the whale watching community.”
Easily distinguished from other whales, Chainsaw’s dorsal fin has several large notches in the top third of his fin that gives the appearance of a large saw blade. At some point during his youth Chainsaw lost two large chunks in the trailing edge of his dorsal fin, possibly due to a bite from a seal or sea lion, favored prey of Bigg’s killer whales.
Accompanied by his presumed mother T065, along with the T010s and T071s, the killer whales left the visitors aboard several whale watching boats in awe of the experience as the whales swam north in Haro Strait. ‘Chainsaw’ is believed to have been born in 1978 and regularly travels with his mother T065 ‘Whidbey II.’
While not frequently seen in the inland waters, naturalists have come to expect that spring is when they might see T063 ‘Chainsaw,’ so Monday’s report was welcome news among the professional whale watching community. The distinctive adult male is also reported to travel up the coast of Canada as far as Southeast Alaska, where he is known as ‘Zorro’ to whale researchers and naturalists there.
Throughout the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia, there are nearly 400 Bigg’s killer whales that have been identified and catalogued in the region at one time or another. Bigg’s killer whales are increasing in numbers due to the abundance of prey such as seals and sea lions, unlike the endangered Southern Resident killer whales which are struggling due to declining numbers of their preferred prey, Chinook salmon.
Jpod Returns To Puget Sound in Search of Wild Salmon!
Presence of SRKW Directly Related to Presence of Fall Salmon
FRIDAY HARBOR, WA (October 16, 2020) – The return of Jpod to Puget Sound today is the second time this month this pod of beloved Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW)—also known as Orcas—have entered Puget Sound. The pod’s first foray into Puget Sound this fall occurred on October 5-6, as they briefly traveled through Puget Sound on the hunt for fall runs of wild Chinook, Coho, and Chum salmon.
With the recent wet weather the region has been experiencing, streams and rivers throughout the region are now primed for the return of wild spawning salmon, which in turn, brings the whales. These fall salmon runs are a critical part of the SRKWs diet and provide much needed sustenance to these spectacular marine mammals which require up to 300-400 pounds of fish every day to survive.
Fall visits to Puget Sound are nothing new. Southern Resident killer whales are generally regular visitors to our urban region every fall as they navigate the inland waterways in search of fall runs of Chinook, Coho, and Chum salmon which return each year to spawn in rivers and streams throughout Puget Sound.
What is new this year is two new additions to Jpod have recently joined the pod in just the past two months, so these forays into Puget Sound are particularly exciting for those who hope to get a glimpse of the baby whales as they pass throughout Puget Sound. The new Jpod calves, designated J57 and J58, were born on September 4 and September 24, respectively. Both babies were looking healthy and active when last sighted off San Juan Island October 7.
While the new calves will sustain themselves solely on mother’s milk for the first year, their nutritional needs make successfully finding salmon that much more important for their mothers, Tahlequah (J35) and Eclipse (J41).
The PWWA encourages boaters to follow our best-practices and professional guidelines by slowing to under 7 knots when within 1/2 mile of whales, remain 300 yards away from Southern Resident whales, do not cross or stop directly in the path of whales, respectfully enjoy their presence and enthusiastically support salmon protection and salmon habitat restoration efforts in your cities and neighborhoods.
More Good News! Second New Baby Sighted in Jpod!
Photo courtesy of Leah Vanderwiel/Orca Spirit Adventures/Pacific Whale Watch Association.
All photos were taken with telephoto lenses and are cropped for detail.
Photos courtesy of Talia Goodyear/Orca Spirit Adventures/Pacific Whale Watch Association.
All photos were taken with telephoto lenses and are cropped for detail.
PWWA Naturalists Thrilled to Witness New Calf's First Breath
FRIDAY HARBOR, WA (September 25, 2020) – Following the recent news of the birth of a new baby in Jpod, and the subsequent report that J57 is a boy, comes even more good news from the Salish Sea.
Expectant mother J41, aka Eclipse, gave birth to her newest baby Thursday afternoon just miles off the Victoria, B.C. waterfront. This is J41's second calf. Her first calf, J51, is a male born in 2015.
The birth of the baby was witnessed by professional naturalists Talia Goodyear and Leah Vanderwiel, along with everyone aboard the Orca Spirit Adventures vessel Pacific Explorer. The crew and guests came upon the lone female killer whale as they were returning from viewing one of the dozens of humpback whales that are regularly seen in the region all summer, and were on their way to Race Rocks to finish their tour viewing seals and sea lions when they happened upon J41.
According to Goodyear, "We spotted who we soon identified to be J41 just southwest of Race Rocks. She appeared to be alone at the time and stayed very close to the surface for a few minutes. After going under for several minutes, she reappeared, and this time it looked like she was pushing something with her rostrum. She surfaced like this 3 or 4 times."
"It took us a little while to really figure out what was going on," said Goodyear, "so it was a bit of an emotional roller coaster as we thought of all the possibilities. Although we thought we were certain this was an SRKW, we did question whether this was a Biggs killer whale with a seal, or if we were seeing a buoy and this was an entanglement, and then we were concerned we could be re-living the tragic situation with J35 and her deceased calf from 2018."
"She was aiding the baby up for a few breaths with her rostrum," added Vanderwiel, "at which point the little one started surfacing on its own. It appeared to be a rambunctious little bundle of baby, as every surface was exaggerated and playful. We watched as they continued to head off southwest from Race Rocks."
"It was an emotional time as we processed what was happening in front of us," said Vanderwiel. "It took a few minutes to realize what was actually happening, but then it was pure excitement realizing that it was a birth and the baby was very alive and boisterous."
While the majority of PWWA whale watching tours are focused on the thriving Biggs mammal-eating killer whales, abundant Humpback whales and other marine wildlife, occasional chance encounters with the world-famous Southern Resident Killer whales (SRKW) do occur. During these brief encounters naturalists educate their guests about the SRKW, their matrilineal social structures, their playful nature and life histories, and explain to their guests the challenges the beloved endangered SRKW population currently face for their very survival.
Following their brief encounter, and while the excitement was still coursing through their veins, Goodyear and Vanderweil alerted the PWWA and the Center for Whale Research about their observation, and provided their photos for analysis once they returned to shore.
While the trained professional naturalists were certain that the new mother was J41, and believe that they witnessed the calf's first breaths, their photographs were sent to whale researchers to confirm their identities and to hopefully determine their body condition based on the photos provided.
According to Ken Balcomb, founder and executive director of the Center for Whale Research, the photos of the mother are confirmed to be those of J41 and a brand new baby. "We're very pleased to see that J41 has had her baby," said Balcomb, "however, it's too soon to determine the status of the calf, and further observations are necessary before we'll make an announcement of the new baby's health."
As the PWWA remains cautiously optimistic for the health and survival of yet another beautiful new addition to Jpod, survival for the endangered SRKW population directly correlates with the health of Chinook salmon.
Dramatic declines over the past several decades of Chinook salmon throughout their critical habitat continues to be the biggest threat to SRKW recovery. Salmon stocks that the SRKW rely upon throughout the year primarily include Chinook salmon that spawn in the Fraser River, Columbia River, and Sacramento River systems.
In contrast, Biggs mammal-eating killer whales have produced over 80 new calves in the past ten years in the shared waters of the Salish Sea due to abundant marine mammal prey resources and are thriving throughout the region.
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PHOTO CREDIT MANDATORY:
Photos courtesy of Talia Goodyear/Orca Spirit Adventures/Pacific Whale Watch Association and Leah Vanderwiel/Orca Spirit Adventures/Pacific Whale Watch Association. All photos were taken with telephoto lenses and are cropped for detail.