Dolphins and Bigger Dolphins
Cover Image:
Pacific White Sided Dolphins jumping about on a foggy day
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Starting on Valentine’s Day, a number of Pacific White-Sided dolphins appeared off of Powell River, and many of them were spotted on and off for over a week between Powell River and Texada Island. A couple of pods of Pacific White-Sided dolphins were large, with estimates of up to 200 animals. These dolphins can be very acrobatic when they exit the water and their leaps can be up to 4 meters in the air.
What are the bigger dolphins that have been observed and reported? The larger dolphins are Orca, which are part of the dolphin family too. Some of the Orca have been identified as Transient Orca, which are the mammal-eating Orca. One pod was observed feeding on a Harbour porpoise and another pod was observed chasing Dall’s porpoise. The majority of Orca remain unidentified and most of these Orca were seen around Quadra Island and in Johnstone Strait.
Rounding out our report is one sighting of a Humpback whale and sightings of both types of porpoises. Dall’s porpoise continue to be present in Toba Inlet and some were observed in the middle of Georgia Strait between Vancouver and Nanaimo. Harbour porpoises were observed in Chancellor Channel and in Howe Sound off Lighthouse Park, West Vancouver.
WOWs works throught the year, so please continue to keep your eyes open, and report your sightings to us.
Ivan Ng, Wild Ocean Whale Society
Society News & Events
Presentation: Making a Splash Thursday, March 28. 2:30 pm
Presented by: Ivan Ng, Wild Ocean Whale Society
At Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre, North Vancouver, BC
Whales, dolphins, and sea lions, oh my! Discover who's swimming in the waters around Vancouver. There will also be an optional marine wildlife field-trip associated with this presentation. Saturday, March 30. 10 am to 12 pm at Whytecliff Park.
At Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre, North Vancouver, BC
Whales, dolphins, and sea lions, oh my! Discover who's swimming in the waters around Vancouver. There will also be an optional marine wildlife field-trip associated with this presentation. Saturday, March 30. 10 am to 12 pm at Whytecliff Park.
Earth Week Dinner Event at Dwight Hall, Powell River April 27
Mark your calendars! Tickets will go on sale in March.
Charity Donation Receipts:
Donation receipts for 2018 were sent out. If you have not received yours, please contact us. Thank you for your ongoing support. Our Donations page
Whales and Dolphins BC Website:
Teaching Resources: A number of lesson activities and resources are now available on our website for download as needed for your classes.
Real Time Monitoring Station Live Update
Our Cetacean Web Camera YouTube Channel is live. We appreciate your patience with the intermittent bouncy images from the Beach Gardens Marina camera. Our backup live stream mounted in Powell River appears when the Beach Gardens camera is down.
Thank You to our Volunteers and Contributors!
Our team of online Volunteers continue to do a great job in making sure all your sightings reports are mapped and published regularly. Would you like to join us?
Review our current Volunteer Job Postings
Not listed in our job postings is our immediate need for IT support. Please contact Susan@…org for details.
Review our current Volunteer Job Postings
Not listed in our job postings is our immediate need for IT support. Please contact Susan@…org for details.
Sightings Update
SIGHTINGS MAP – ISSUE: 2019-005
TRANSIENT BIGGS KILLER WHALES
Fri Feb 15 2019
17:00 • 4 Biggs Orca foraging at Blind Channel. 1 big fin and 3 small fins. They took a Harbor porpoise.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
Tue Feb 19 2019
13:15 • Biggs Orca ◦T087,T090s◦ heading south, Blind Channel. ▫ Observed from Shore
17:40 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ moving quickly, heading north at Greene Point Rapids, Cordero Channel. They came from Blind Channel. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
Wed Feb 20 2019
09:00 • est. 4-5 Biggs Orca hunting, near head of Toba Inlet, Pryce Channel. Chasing Dall’s porpoise.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
10:15 • Biggs Orca milling, just off Rock Bay, Johnstone Strait.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
NORTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Northern Resident Killer Whales
Northern Resident Killer WHale, A60 Fife, in Johnstone Strait in the summer
Thu, 28 Feb 2019 – 1 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Northern Resident Killer Whales
Northern Resident Killer WHale, A60 Fife, in Johnstone Strait in the summer
Thu, 28 Feb 2019 – 1 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES
Wed Feb 13 2019
14:08 • 5 Orca heading south in the middle of Sutil Channel.
Tyler Bruce, Campbell River Whale Watching
16:00 • est. 5-6 Orca heading north-east between Cape Mudge and Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait. 20 minutes later heading southeast in a zig zag pattern.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
Thu Feb 14 2019
08:45 • Orca heading south past Campbell River Fishing Pier, Discovery Passage. Big bull Orca and others.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
10:03 • Orca heading north abeam Tyee Spit, Campbell River, Discovery Passage. ▫ From Ferry
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
10:52 • est. 12+ Orca heading north at Duncan Bay, Discovery Passage. Group includes 2 big fins and a couple of young ones. Left this group at Race Point northbound. I’ll see if I can spot the others at the spit.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours
10:57 • Orca milling, off Tyee Spit, Campbell River, Discovery Passage.
13:35 • est. 30 Orca heading north just below Eagles Cove, Discovery Passage. Looks like Northern Resident Orca.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
15:00 • est. 20 Orca playing, heading north between Chatham Point and Howe Island, Discovery Passage. Moving slowly.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
15:38 • Orca off Chatham Point, Discovery Passage. Looked like staying in the straits.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
16:10 • est. 16-20 Orca heading north approaching Walkem Islands, Johnstone Strait. At least 4 big fins and 2 calves.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
Fri Feb 15 2019
16:50 • 1 Orca off Mayne Island in Active Pass. Small Orca.
Nik Coutinho, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
17:19 • 1 Orca heading west, south of Harwood Island, Georgia Strait. Big Orca fin. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Sun Feb 24 2019
12:30 • Orca at Viner Point, Read Island, Sutil Channel. Orca reported entangled trailing blue buoy. WOWS received notice that it was a false alarm.
Radio, overheard or call out
Mon Feb 25 2019
08:00 • Orca by Kelsey Bay, Johnstone Strait. ▫ Second Hand
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
Wed Feb 27 2019
18:09 • Orca heading south by Davis Bay, Georgia Strait. Observerd from shore. ▫ Second Hand
Jim Rogers, Campbell River Whale Watching
HUMPBACK WHALES
Wed Feb 27 2019
18:14 • Humpback Whales heading south by Davis Bay, Georgia Strait. Observerd from shore. ▫ Second Hand
Jim Rogers, Campbell River Whale Watching
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Thu Feb 14 2019
12:37 • PWS Dolphins heading south from Sliammon, Malaspina Strait. Huge pod. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Pacific White Sided Dolphins heading south from Sliammon
Thu, 14 Feb 2019 – 4 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Pacific White Sided Dolphins heading south from Sliammon
Thu, 14 Feb 2019 – 4 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
14:21 • est. 200 PWS Dolphins foraging, just out from Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait. Moving back and forth by log boom. ▫ Observed from Shore
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society
Fri Feb 15 2019
12:29 • est. 150-200 PWS Dolphins out from Powell River Viewpoint. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
About 150 to 200 Pacific White Sided Dolphins in front of Powell River Viewpoint
Fri, 15 Feb 2019 – 4 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
About 150 to 200 Pacific White Sided Dolphins in front of Powell River Viewpoint
Fri, 15 Feb 2019 – 4 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
13:05 • PWS Dolphins off Harwood Island, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
Heather Harbord, Powell River, BC
13:22 • PWS Dolphins foraging, between Harwood Island and Rebecca Rocks, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
Sherri Wretham, Powell River, BC
Mon Feb 18 2019
10:06 • PWS Dolphins near Harwood Island, Malaspina Strait. A large group of dolphins leaping. The observer couldn’t tell the direction. ▫ Observed from Shore
14:04 • PWS Dolphins around Coho (Kiddie) Point, NW tip Texada Island, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
16:34 • PWS Dolphins heading north between Coho (Kiddie) Point and Rebecca Rocks, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Wed Feb 20 2019
16:48 • PWS Dolphins north of Comox, Georgia Strait. Huge leaps. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Fri Feb 22 2019
09:00 • est. 10 PWS Dolphins playing, heading north off the NW side of Texada Island, Georgia Strait. It was getting stormy and the Comox ferry leaving Powell River took an unusual route along other side of Texada on the way to Comox. I’m pretty sure I saw 2 different small groups of dolphins. I could see them really well from the ferry and could see their white markings on their sides. They were playing and surfacing out of the water. ▫ From Ferry
DP, Powell River
Sat Feb 23 2019
09:54 • PWS Dolphins in front of Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait. Dolphins close to shore.
Sherri Wretham, Powell River, BC
DALLS PORPOISE
Sat Feb 16 2019
13:00 • est. 20 Dalls Porpoise heading north near Racine Creek, Toba Inlet.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
Mon Feb 18 2019
10:15 • est. 5 Dalls Porpoise in Frederick Arm. No real direction.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
Tue Feb 19 2019
15:44 • Dalls Porpoise off Brem River, Toba Inlet.
Jerry Weldon, Eagle Eye Adventures
Wed Feb 20 2019
09:00 • Dalls Porpoise near head of Toba Inlet, Pryce Channel. Chased by Transient Biggs Orca.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
Sun Feb 24 2019
16:10 • est. 3-4 Dalls Porpoise moving quickly, heading north-east mid channel between Tsawwassen and Nanaimo, Georgia Strait. ▫ From Ferry
PB, Nanaimo, BC
Wed Feb 27 2019
–:– • est. 30 Dalls Porpoise in Toba Inlet. In a couple of groups.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
Dalls Porpoise
Dalls Porpoises in Toba Inlet
Wed, 27 Feb 2019 – 3 items
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
Dalls Porpoise
Dalls Porpoises in Toba Inlet
Wed, 27 Feb 2019 – 3 items
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
HARBOUR PORPOISE
Sun Feb 17 2019
14:30 • est. 4-5 Harbour Porpoise heading south-west, Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver, Georgia Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
Shauna Corr, Burnaby, BC
Wed Feb 27 2019
12:00 • est. 10 Harbour Porpoise at the west end of Chancellor Channel.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
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