Harbour Porpoise
Harbour porpoise may be observed around British Columbia throughout the year. Harbour porpoise tend to swim within a few kilometers of land and they can be observed in shallow areas such as bays, inlets, harbours, and estuaries. They tend to swim within 15 meters of the surface of the water and rarely dive extremely deep.
Dall’s Porpoise
Dall’s porpoise live only in the temperate waters of the North Pacific Ocean. Dall’s porpoise can be seen in B.C. waters throughout the year and can be found in various habitats such as the open ocean, sounds, and inland channels. Dall’s porpoise are believed to migrate offshore during the winter months and to migrate to inland waters during the summer months.
Pacific White-Sided Dolphin
Pacific White-Sided dolphins are widely distributed in inland waters and offshore waters of British Columbia and can be seen throughout the year. During the summer months, they are found in relatively higher abundance as they follow their food. In winter months, the dolphins are observed usually in smaller groups in B.C. Some dolphins may migrate south during Winter months spending time off of California.
Minke Whale
Minke whales have been observed most often in shallow, coastal waters of British Columbia while sightings of them in offshore waters have been irregular. Minke whales are observed more frequently during the summer and autumn months. Some Minke whales have been observed to have marks made by cookiecutter sharks indicating Minke whales travel to warmer waters, probably during the winter months for breeding.
Gray Whale (Grey Whale)
Gray whales tend to swim relatively close to the shore regardless if travelling in open ocean or inland waters. Gray whales migrate south during autumn and spend the winter months in the warm waters off of Baja California and Mexico. Gray whales can travel close to 200 km per day during the southward migration. They breed and raise their young in these areas before they migrate northward during the spring months. Gray whales swim slower in the northward migration, travelling about 100 km per day. The majority of these whales spend the summer months in their feeding grounds along Alaska but a few of them remain along the coast of B.C. The round trip of their annual migration may be as much as 20000 km.
Humpback Whale
Humpback whales can be found in various habitats throughout British Columbia such as in bays, inland channels, sounds, and offshore over the continental shelf. Humpback whales can be observed throughout the year off of B.C. and they have site fidelity. They are observed most frequently during the summer months due to high prey abundance. During the winter, most Humpback whales migrate to warmer waters off of Hawaii and Mexico to mate and to give birth to calves.
Orca – Resident Killer Whales
Resident Orca migrate dependent on their prey species. Resident Orca are observed regularly in the inland waters of B.C. during the summer and autumn months when salmon return to spawn in rivers. The Northern Resident Orca are most often found off Northeastern Vancouver Island and northward towards the Haida Gwaii islands and into Alaska. The Southern Resident Orca are most often found in the south end of Georgia Strait, around the Gulf Islands, in Juan de Fuca Strait and down into the waters off Oregon State.
Orca – Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Biggs Orca are found throughout the year in waters off of British Columbia, and as their name implies, they travel through areas and rarely remain in an area for an extended period of time. They are observed more frequently in the summer and autumn months when their prey abundance is higher, and they are observed with some regularity over the winter months, much more than Resident Orca.
