Killer Whales Popping Up, Dolphins and Porpoise
As we post our Sightings Update and Maps there are more reports of Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales by Campbell River including T087 who appears to have joined up with another six whales while another group is a bit farther along. We will post the reports and photos in our next update. There were rumours of Northern Resident Orca, but nothing was ever confirmed. We have had a number of Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Dall’s and Harbour Porpoise, but what is missing from the central to Northern Georgia Strait are the Humpback Whales.
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society
Society News & Events
Our Earth Day Fundraiser held in Powell River was a great success and together with the funds we raised last year, has provided enough to obtain the equipment needed for our first Real Time Monitoring Station slated for Grief Point in Powell River. Well done volunteers and all those who donated!
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Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
We are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society
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Sightings Update
SIGHTINGS MAP 2016-010
TRANSIENT BIGG’S KILLER WHALES
Mon Apr 25 2016
17:16 • Bigg`s Orca heading West and South out of Active Pass. ?T49s?
Aaron Nagler, Vancouver, BC
Sat Apr 23 2016
13:30 • 5 Bigg`s Orca by Steep Island, Discovery Passage. ?T101s, T102? Two males, three females. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Wed Apr 20 2016
16:10 • 7 Bigg`s Orca heading South-West between the north end of Gambier Island and the north end of Woolridge Island, Howe Sound. ?T124s?
Aaron Nagler, Vancouver, BC
SOUTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES
Mon Apr 25 2016
17:16 • SRKW Orca heading South at the Northern end of Haro Strait. ?J-pod?
Aaron Nagler, Vancouver, BC
Tue Apr 19 2016
11:05 • 3 SRKW Orca travelling, heading South-West off East Point on Saturna Island, Boundary Pass. A large fin (male) was seen. ▫ Observed from Shore
Shirley Sparks, East point
Southern Resident Killer Whales
Tue Apr 19 2016 – 1 Images / Media Files
Shirley Sparks, East point
Southern Resident Killer Whales
Tue Apr 19 2016 – 1 Images / Media Files
Shirley Sparks, East point
UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES
Tue Apr 26 2016
10:15 • 12 Orca heading North off of Qualicum Beach heading towards Denman Island, Georgia Strait. One adult seemed to be teaching a calf to breach or tail slap. Hard to distinguish. Adult doing full breach.
Jack Yensen, Parksville
Unidentified Killer Whales
Orca off Qualicum Beach
Tue Apr 26 2016 – 2 Images / Media Files
Jack Yensen, Parksville
Unidentified Killer Whales
Orca off Qualicum Beach
Tue Apr 26 2016 – 2 Images / Media Files
Jack Yensen, Parksville
08:35 • Orca likely off of Bates Beach closer to Vancouver Island, Georgia Strait. Ferry is angled towards Bates Beach but whale can not be seen from Powell River. ▫ From Ferry
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching
Mon Apr 25 2016
09:38 • 4-5 Orca heading South passed Myrtle Rocks in the center of Malaspina Strait. Two bulls and two calves observed in the group.
Jim Southern, Powell River
07:59 • 3-4 Orca heading South in front of Powell River, Malaspina Strait. They were observed from the Westview Ferry Docks. ▫ Observed from Shore
Barry Pennell, Powell River
Sun Apr 24 2016
12:24 • 1+ Orca heading North-West past Dinner Rock angling towards the east end of Savary Island, Malaspina Strait. Centre of strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
11:40 • 1-3 Orca heading North off of Sliammon North of Powell River, Malaspina Strait. In lumpy seas. ▫ Observed from Shore
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
11:12 • Orca heading South in Lewis Channel.
Curtis, Coast Wild Fishing
Sat Apr 23 2016
15:52 • 2 Orca heading North off the ferry terminal at Powell River, Malaspina Strait.
Barry Pennell, Powell River
12:57 • 2 Orca heading South in Seymour Narrows, Discovery Passage. Two big fins.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
11:00 • Orca at Race Point, Discovery Passage. Orca groups from earlier passed each other going in different direction. No interaction at all.
10:01 • 3 Orca heading South at Browns Bay, Discovery Passage. Small fins fighting the tide.
09:33 • 5-6 Orca heading North at Cape Mudge Lighthouse on Quadra Island, Georgia Strait. One large male was observed.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching
Thu Apr 21 2016
12:30 • 7-8 Orca heading North near Comox, Baynes Sound. Turned towards Powell River/Texada Island. Nothing overly exciting. Possibly chasing fish. They did not go in a straight line!.
Blair Smith, Courtenay
Unidentified Killer Whales
Thu Apr 21 2016 – 2 Images / Media Files
Blair Smith, Courtenay
Unidentified Killer Whales
Thu Apr 21 2016 – 2 Images / Media Files
Blair Smith, Courtenay
11:47 • 5 Orca off Gartley Point, Baynes Sound. One big bull in the group. They were heading into the bay. ▫ Second Hand
Bill Coltart, Pacific Pro Dive
Wed Apr 20 2016
16:00 • 3-5 Orca breaching, heading South between Cortes Island and Copeland Islands, Malaspina Strait. They hung around my boat for 20 mins swimming super close. ▫ On Scene
Chris Murdock, Cortes Island
Unidentified Killer Whales
Close Encounter
Wed Apr 20 2016 – 3 Images / Media Files
Chris Murdock, Cortes Island
Unidentified Killer Whales
Close Encounter
Wed Apr 20 2016 – 3 Images / Media Files
Chris Murdock, Cortes Island
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Mon Apr 25 2016
15:00 • PWS Dolphins in Frederick Arm. ▫ Second Hand
Radio, overheard or call out
Sat Apr 23 2016
14:24 • 15 PWS Dolphins milling, at McMullen Point, Discovery Passage.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Fri Apr 22 2016
13:33 • 12 PWS Dolphins near Hardinge Island, Nodales Channel. ▫ Second Hand
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
09:02 • 20 PWS Dolphins heading North passing Myrtle Rocks, Malaspina Strait.
Jim Southern, Powell River
Thu Apr 21 2016
19:30 • 5 PWS Dolphins milling, about half a mile off of Brew Bay South of Powell River, Malaspina Strait. They were observed for 10 minutes or so. Because of their behaviour and being such a small group , I thought they were harbour porpoises; a closer look with a scope showed that they were Dolphins. ▫ Observed from Shore
Robert Johnson, Powell River
10:51 • 12 PWS Dolphins foraging, off Copper Bluffs on the West side of Quadra Island, Discovery Passage.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching
Wed Apr 20 2016
15:15 • 15 PWS Dolphins playing, heading North in Deepwater Bay, Discovery Passage.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
DALL’S PORPOISE
Mon Apr 25 2016
15:00 • Dall`s Porpoise in Frederick Arm. ▫ Second Hand
Radio, overheard or call out
Fri Apr 22 2016
15:38 • 2 Dall`s Porpoise East of Rendezvous Islands, Drew Passage.
Jos Krynen, Eagle Eye Adventures
HARBOUR PORPOISE
Fri Apr 22 2016
12:40 • 3-5 Harbour Porpoise zig zagging, heading North-East about 2.5km south-east of Point Atkinson and 2.5km south-west of West Bay, Burrard Inlet. Was paddling back from Lighthouse Park to False Creek when just about 20min from Lighthouse Park I saw the porpoises come up for air. ▫ On Scene
Nima Mostaghimi, Vancouver
12:20 • 2-3 Harbour Porpoise heading North off Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver, Queen Charlotte Channel. I was able to see them through binoculars. ▫ Observed from Shore
Ivan Ng, North Vancouver
Wed Apr 20 2016
14:30 • 4 Harbour Porpoise travelling, heading South by the park in Whytecliff in West Vancouver, Queen Charlotte Channel. The porpoises surfaced about 50 m from the shore. ▫ Observed from Shore
Ivan Ng, North Vancouver
SIGHTINGS HEAT MAP 2016-010
The Magazine
REGIONAL & WEST COAST
Blue Ocean Whale Watch
Three gray whale cow/calf pairs cruising together through the kelp forest beneath the cliffs of Big Sur, chaperoned by a bottlenose dolphin.
Breitbart News, CA
The Orca attack on a large pod of Common dolphins was captured on video by a whale-watcher with Sanctuary Cruises near Moss Landing Harbor, CA. The video shows the dolphins swimming away and leaping in desperation, causing a flurry of waves as they scatter to safety, and then follows the Orca pod sharing the meal among the pod and their young.
News OK, OK
Federal biologists have temporarily stopped tagging endangered killer whales in Washington state’s Puget Sound after a dead orca was found with pieces of a dart tag lodged in its dorsal fin.
Researchers use a dart projector to fire the small satellite-linked transmitters into the animals to track where they go in the winter and how they find food. An initial exam …
CANADA
CBC News, NS
These marine behemoths may have their own distinct dialects and cultures – and prefer other whales that are most like themselves, according to a marine researcher at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
After analyzing 30 years of underwater recordings, PhD candidate Mauricio Cantor has found sperm whales learn to communicate from their peers and relatives, in much the same way that humans do.
Hakai Magazine
This in depth article looks at how lost fishing gear keeps on doing the job it was designed for long after its owners are gone, entangling and trapping marine mammals …
INTERNATIONAL
Science World Report
Researchers are highlighting the role of dolphins as an animal sentinel in identifying a public health hazard. This article looks at recent research in Florida, that has found similar mercury levels among human poulations in the viscinity of dolphin pods identified with high mercury levels.
Giant Blue-Finned Tuna – Killer Whale – BBC Animals
BBC Animals
A BBC film available online looks at Orca outsmarting fishermen in the Mediterranean.
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Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
We are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society
Call 1-877-323-9776
