Transient Orca Hunting and Grey Whales off Saanich
Many pods of Transient Orca were observed in many areas, from Howe Sound and off Parksville up through Georgia Strait to Johnstone Strait and around West Thurlow Island. On a few occasions, Transient Orca were spotted hunting sea lions, often recognized by a lot of splashing in the vicinity and the occasional leap (“porpoise”) out of the water by an Orca. Pods usually contain males and females – adult males can easily be recognized by their dorsal fin which stand as tall as 2-meters (6 feet) which is significantly taller than fins of females.
A Grey whale had been spotted by Nanoose Bay up to about April 22, often swimming very close to shore and delighting many onlookers. Another Grey whale (perhaps 2) appeared in the Cordova Bay area in Saanich on April 24 and 25. A few Grey whales tend to pass through Georgia Strait in the spring as they migrate northward and generally do not reside in inland waters for extended periods of time. Our report contains a number of sightings of Pacific White-Sided dolphins in Johnstone Strait and sightings of Dall’s porpoises in different waterways.
With respect to conservation, Right whales found in the Atlantic Ocean off the maritime provinces are endangered and are of extreme concern to conservationists and the Canadian Government. The sitiuation with the Right whales receive significant amount of attention, similar to the plight of the Southern Resident Orca here in B.C. Our magazine section contains two articles on Right whales that may be of interest.
Boaters, please use caution on the water. Federal laws require boats to remain at least 400-m away when viewing Southern Resident Orca in critical habitats and for other types of Orca, laws require boats to remain at least 200-m away from them. For other species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises, boats must keep a minimum distance of 100-m away from them but the minimum distance changes to 200-m if there is a calf OR if the Cetaceans are resting. Remember N.E.W.S. when you see a whale, meaning put your boat in NEUTRAL, ENJOY the view, WAIT till the whales are at a fair distance, and then SLOWLY leave the scene.
WOWs works throught the year, so please continue to keep your eyes open, and report your sightings to us.
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