Smaller Cetaceans Are Important Too

A publication of Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs)

Smaller Cetaceans Are Important Too


Cover Image:
Young Pacific White Sided Dolphin

When we look at our ocean ecosystem as a whole, it may be easy to forget about the little guys. We don’t. All whales, dolphins and porpoise that are within our oceans play a huge part in the balance, as do the other species. Knowing their travels also helps us understand them and their interactons. Travelling in groups or herds from 2 or 3 into the thousands, Pacific White Sided Dolphins are the acrobats of our ocean leaping high with mid-air flips. They have what appears to be a constant smile and are known to be promiscuous. Their close relative is the Orca, a type of dolphin. Dalls and Harbour Porpoise are smaller and have triangular shaped dorsals and occasionally interbreed producing a hybrid. Dalls Porpoise are notable with their Orca-like black and white markings. They are speed demons and seem to appear and disappear in an instant. Harbour Porpoise are small and usually very shy, so seeing them is a treat. Unfortunately for them, Transient Bigg’s Orca feel the same way about them, only they want them to eat as a treat. All part of the food chain.

Boaters, use caution on the water. 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.

The Federal Government (DFO) has issued the following statement about watching whales in the wild: “To address disturbance in the presence of whales, a mandatory 400-metre vessel approach distance for all killer whales is in effect starting June 1, 2020 in all southern British Columbia coastal waters between Campbell River and just north of Ucluelet. The Marine Mammal Regulations continue to remain in effect year-round, including maintaining a minimum 200 metre approach distance from all killer whales in Canadian Pacific waters other than described above, and 100 metres for other whales, porpoises and dolphins OR 200 metres when the animal is in resting position or with a calf.”

WOWs works throught the year, so please continue to keep your eyes open, and report your sightings to us.

Society News & Events
COVID-19 Updates:
Covid is still very much in the forefront. This is causing much stress for many. We hope you are hanging in there and that we can give you a lift in spirits with our reports and photos. We too are working on hanging in. Stay safe and well.
Our Dwight Hall fundraising dinner, instrumental to maintain all of our basic programs and online presence, is scheduled for April 24, 2021. We trust that by then we will be able to hold a successful event. Your donations are greatly needed and appreciated.
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Sightings Update
SIGHTINGS MAP – ISSUE: 2020-031
TRANSIENT BIGGS KILLER WHALES
Fri Oct 02 2020
15:13 • Biggs Orca heading north off the south end of Grant Reefs, Georgia Strait.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours
Tue Oct 06 2020
10:45 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading south rounding Mayne Point, East Thurlow Island, Johnstone Strait. Looks like they are headed for Walkem Islands. Long dives not a lot of surface time.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
17:05 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading north-east at Sonora Point, Nodales Channel.
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Sat, 3 Oct 2020 – 6 items
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Sat, 3 Oct 2020 – 6 items
HUMPBACK WHALES
Thu Oct 01 2020
07:40 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south just south of Eagles Cove, Discovery Passage.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
08:15 • 8 Humpback Whales close in to Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
08:15 • 4 Humpback Whales heading north off Black (Albion) Point, Malaspina Strait.
08:15 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south by Lang Bay, Malaspina Strait.
Nina Falls, Powell River, BC
09:00 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south passing in front of Sturt Bay, Malaspina Strait. in the fog.
10:00 • Humpback Whales heading north off the park at Grief Point, Malaspina Strait. Hearing trumpeting and blowing in the fog.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
10:10 • est. 1+ Humpback Whales at the Montgomery Bank Pinnacles, Georgia Strait. Multiple Humpbacks.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours
10:48 • 2 Humpback Whales doing circles, in the area by Centre Islet, Sutil Channel.
11:21 • 1 Humpback Whales ◦BCY Potamus◦ foraging; doing circles, below No Name Creek, Discovery Passage.
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whale, Potamus, in Discovery Passage
Thu, 1 Oct 2020 – 1 items
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whale, Potamus, in Discovery Passage
Thu, 1 Oct 2020 – 1 items
13:08 • Humpback Whales heading south at Elk Bay, Discovery Passage.
13:17 • 1 Humpback Whales heading south near shore by No Name Creek, Discovery Passage.
Eliot Richter, Blind Channel Resort
15:15 • 1 Humpback Whales half mile SE of Hill Island, Sutil Channel.
15:27 • 1 Humpback Whales 600 metres south of Hill Island toward Centre Islet, Sutil Channel.
15:27 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north off Read Island, Sutil Channel.
15:35 • 1 Humpback Whales ◦BCY Potamus◦ still at No Name Creek, Discovery Passage.
15:35 • 1 Humpback Whales on the Quadra side of Granite Point, Discovery Passage.
Fri Oct 02 2020
10:40 • 3 Humpback Whales foraging, off Francisco Point, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
10:52 • Humpback Whales off Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait. Lunge feeding in the fog close to shore.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
12:10 • est. 2-3 Humpback Whales heading south by Black (Albion) Point, Malaspina Strait.
Nina Falls, Powell River, BC
12:15 • 3 Humpback Whales hunting, heading south-east halfway between Black (Albion) Point and Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait. Circling slowly. They moved south-east and then turned to go back north-west. Very close to shore, approximately 100 meters. We watched them for about half an hour. ▫ Observed from Shore
Liz Kennedy, Powell River, BC
13:05 • Humpback Whales, Sutil Channel. Mid channel.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River
13:10 • Humpback Whales heading north close to shore by Black (Albion) Point, Malaspina Strait.
Nina Falls, Powell River, BC
14:20 • 5 Humpback Whales at Francisco Point, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
14:52 • 2 Humpback Whales resting, just off the north end of Sentry Shoal, Georgia Strait.
15:10 • 2 Humpback Whales off the south end of Grant Reefs, Georgia Strait.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours
16:20 • 2 Humpback Whales close to Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
16:20 • Humpback Whales circling prey, near Black (Albion) Point, Malaspina Strait.
Nina Falls, Powell River, BC
17:45 • 1 Humpback Whales moving slowly, heading south-east halfway between Black (Albion) Point and Myrtle Rocks, Malaspina Strait. Circling, taking long dives. Watched for about 20 minutes. ▫ Observed from Shore
Liz Kennedy, Powell River, BC
19:30 • 1 Humpback Whales heading north off Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
Sat Oct 03 2020
07:16 • 1 Humpback Whales heading south in front of Campbell River Fishing Pier, Discovery Passage.
07:45 • 3 Humpback Whales and a large group of steller sea lions feeding together at Francisco Point, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
09:20 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north-east at Lake Bay, close to Read Island, Sutil Channel.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales
Sat, 3 Oct 2020 – 2 items
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales
Sat, 3 Oct 2020 – 2 items
11:16 • Humpback Whales ◦BCX Raza,BCY Mogul,BCY Pepper◦ foraging, with sea lions at Dogfish Bay at the southeast end of Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales, Raza, Mogul and Pepper, in Sutil Channel
Sat, 3 Oct 2020 – 4 items
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales, Raza, Mogul and Pepper, in Sutil Channel
Sat, 3 Oct 2020 – 4 items
12:17 • 2 Humpback Whales off Armour Road in Powell River, Malaspina Strait. Hard to see through all the fog.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
13:28 • 6 Humpback Whales moving slowly and feeding on krill, heading south close to Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait. 2 groups of 3 humpbacks seen.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
15:30 • 2 Humpback Whales at the Powell Islets, Malaspina Strait.
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whale in the Powell Islets
Sat, 3 Oct 2020 – 1 items
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whale in the Powell Islets
Sat, 3 Oct 2020 – 1 items
16:08 • 3 Humpback Whales at Dogfish Bay, angling towards Marina Reef, Sutil Channel.
17:30 • 2 Humpback Whales playing and feeding, between Twin Islands, Mary Point and Powell Islets, Malaspina Strait. Seen between 15:00 and 17:30. Mom and calf observed.
Terry Brown and Jude Abrams, Otter Be Good Productions
18:30 • 2 Humpback Whales doing circles, at Black (Albion) Point, Malaspina Strait. Likely feeding.
Nina Falls, Powell River, BC
18:38 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north close to shore at Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
Sun Oct 04 2020
08:51 • 3 Humpback Whales heading south at Myrtle Point. Mom and calf further out, one humpback closer to shore.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
10:35 • 2 Humpback Whales at Cape Mudge Green Can Buoy, Georgia Strait.
Radio, overheard or call out
11:54 • 2 Humpback Whales taking long dives, heading south, west of Coho (Kiddie) Point at the NW tip of Texada Island, Malaspina Strait.
11:54 • 1 Humpback Whales near Comox, Georgia Strait.
12:40 • 2 Humpback Whales at Cape Mudge Green Can Buoy, Georgia Strait.
Quinn Kuschel-Ross, Campbell River Whale Watching
14:11 • 3 Humpback Whales heading north past Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
15:00 • 3 Humpback Whales south of Spoil Grounds south of Cape Mudge, Georgia Strait.
16:45 • 3 Humpback Whales off west side of Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait.
17:25 • 1 Humpback Whales at Little Bear Bay, Johnstone Strait.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
17:45 • 2 Humpback Whales foraging, heading north-west, 300m off Last Beach at Neck Point north of Nanaimo, Georgia Strait. Two humpbacks seen travelling slowly offshore fluked and took a longer dive, then resurfaced in same spot and stayed on surface for a while before doing a couple of short dives. Feeding in the area? Saw many small fish, herring size, jumping and a couple of big salmon leaping clear of the water in the same area. ▫ Observed from Shore
PB, Nanaimo, BC
Mon Oct 05 2020
08:15 • 2 Humpback Whales taking long dives, heading south-east, between Black (Albion) Point and Myrtle Rocks, Malaspina Strait. Eating on surface before taking a deep dive. ▫ Observed from Shore
Liz Kennedy, Powell River, BC
08:34 • 3 Humpback Whales taking long dives, mid-strait, out from Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait.
10:00 • est. 2-3 Humpback Whales feeding, at Rebecca Rocks, Malaspina Strait. Blows seen, as well as dives.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
10:30 • 1 Humpback Whales feeding, at Browns Bay, Discovery Passage.
12:10 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north, mid-channel Bates Beach, Georgia Strait.
13:30 • est. 12 Humpback Whales at Algerine Passage, Malaspina Strait.
13:40 • 6 Humpback Whales between Vivian Island and Mystery Reef, Malaspina Strait.
13:48 • 3 Humpback Whales heading south, near Whaletown, Cortes Island, Sutil Channel.
15:40 • 2 Humpback Whales 0.5km off Bates Beach, Georgia Strait.
Tue Oct 06 2020
09:06 • 2 Humpback Whales out from the dock at Van Anda, Malaspina Strait. Heading in towards shore.
Candi Little, Texada Island, BC
10:24 • 1 Humpback Whales heading south out from north harbour Powell River, Malaspina Strait.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
13:50 • 2 Humpback Whales by Grant Reefs, Georgia Strait.
13:54 • 2 Humpback Whales resting, off Read Point, Sutil Channel.
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whale Mom and Calf near Read Point
Tue, 6 Oct 2020 – 1 items

Humpback Whales
Humpback Whale Mom and Calf near Read Point
Tue, 6 Oct 2020 – 1 items
14:02 • 2 Humpback Whales southwest of Vivian Island, Georgia Strait.
14:58 • Humpback Whales Sentry Shoal, Georgia Strait. A whole bunch.
Radio, overheard or call out
15:45 • 2 Humpback Whales, Toba Inlet. Just inside the inlet near Double Island.
16:45 • 2 Humpback Whales foraging, off Francisco Point, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
17:00 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south-west just south of Rebecca Rocks heading towards Vancouver Island, Georgia Strait.
Terry Brown and Jude Abrams, Otter Be Good Productions
Wed Oct 07 2020
07:45 • Humpback Whales Howe Island, Nodales Channel.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
08:13 • Humpback Whales heading south by Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
13:00 • 3 Humpback Whales playing, feeding, Crescent Bay, Georgia Strait. Two of the Humpbacks observed were fishing with gulls and sealions, the third was heading North.
Terry Brown and Jude Abrams, Otter Be Good Productions
13:58 • 2 Humpback Whales Subtle Islands, Sutil Channel.
15:48 • 1 Humpback Whales off Sentry Shoal, Georgia Strait.
Thu Oct 08 2020
09:20 • 2 Humpback Whales off Dogfish Bay at the southeast end of Quadra Island, Sutil Channel. Mom and calf.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River
10:39 • 3 Humpback Whales ◦BCX Raza,BCZ Stingray◦ foraging, between Dogfish Bay and Francisco Point, Sutil Channel. MMX0101 Strike is with Stingray both are south Population Humpbacks. Thank you to my friend Erin in Washington for the IDs.
12:15 • 2 Humpback Whales between Centre Islet and Subtle Islands, Sutil Channel.
13:23 • 3 Humpback Whales milling, close to Dogfish Bay at the southeast end of Quadra Island, Sutil Channel. ▫ Leaving the Scene
13:50 • 2 Humpback Whales heading east heading toward Whaletown from Subtle Islands, Sutil Channel.
15:15 • Humpback Whales south off Rebecca Rocks, Georgia Strait.
15:15 • Humpback Whales a fluke close to Coho (Kiddie) Point at the NW tip of Texada Island, Georgia Strait.
15:15 • 1 Humpback Whales between Rebecca Rocks and Harwood Island, Malaspina Strait.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
16:04 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north in Plunger Passage, Sutil Channel.
Jerry Weldon, Campbell River
16:27 • Humpback Whales west of Rebecca Rocks toward Vancouver Island, Georgia Strait.
16:32 • Humpback Whales breaching, behind the ferry off Blubber Bay, Malaspina Strait. Lots of half breaches.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales in front of Powell River, BC
Thu, 8 Oct 2020 – 10 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales in front of Powell River, BC
Thu, 8 Oct 2020 – 10 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
SPERM WHALES
Sat Oct 03 2020
18:09 • 4 Sperm Whales foraging, at Kyuquot canyon near Kyuquot Channel, Kyuquot Sound. Several blue sharks also seen harrassing the birds.
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Thu Oct 01 2020
08:00 • PWS Dolphins between South Rendezvous Island and Read Island, Drew Passage.
09:45 • PWS Dolphins heading south out of Seymour Narrows, Discovery Passage. A pod.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River
Fri Oct 02 2020
11:45 • est. 75 PWS Dolphins off Lake Bay heading towards Viner Point, Sutil Channel. Changed direction a few minutes later and heading towards Center Islet.
12:30 • est. 6 PWS Dolphins foraging, heading south-east between Black (Albion) Point and Myrtle Rocks, Malaspina Strait. Circling. playing around the humpbacks. ▫ Observed from Shore
Liz Kennedy, Powell River, BC
12:40 • est. 100+ PWS Dolphins heading south towards Marina Island, Sutil Channel.
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Pacific White Sided Dolphins near Marina Island
Fri, 2 Oct 2020 – 2 items

Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Pacific White Sided Dolphins near Marina Island
Fri, 2 Oct 2020 – 2 items
14:40 • PWS Dolphins heading south between Eagles Cove and Kanish Bay, Discovery Passage. A big pod of very active dolphins mid channel.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River
14:55 • est. 30 PWS Dolphins between Channe Island and Johns Point, Cordero Channel.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
17:25 • PWS Dolphins playing, on Ripple Rock, Discovery Passage.
Dean Parsonage, 50 North Adventures
18:54 • est. 40-50 PWS Dolphins heading north mid channel Campbell River, Georgia Strait. Off Rockland Road.
Sun Oct 04 2020
11:11 • PWS Dolphins by Spilsbury Point, Baker Passage.
Quinn Kuschel-Ross, Campbell River Whale Watching
Mon Oct 05 2020
11:20 • est. 30+ PWS Dolphins just north of Grant Reefs, Georgia Strait.
Wed Oct 07 2020
15:03 • PWS Dolphins between Sentry Shoal and Hernando Island, Georgia Strait. A large group was observed.
15:38 • PWS Dolphins moving slowly, along Hernando Island towards Spilsbury Point, Georgia Strait.
DALLS PORPOISE
Thu Oct 01 2020
13:25 • Dalls Porpoise below Gomer Island, Dent Rapids. Lots of them.
Dalls Porpoise
Dalls Porpoise near Gomer Island
Thu, 1 Oct 2020 – 1 items
Dalls Porpoise
Dalls Porpoise near Gomer Island
Thu, 1 Oct 2020 – 1 items
Fri Oct 02 2020
12:40 • Dalls Porpoise, Mayne Passage. A big active group.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
14:35 • Dalls Porpoise playing, below Eagles Cove, Discovery Passage.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River
Sun Oct 04 2020
11:11 • Dalls Porpoise by Marina Island, Sutil Channel.
12:00 • Dalls Porpoise feeding, at Jimmy Judd Island, Yuculta Rapids.
Tue Oct 06 2020
12:00 • est. 15 Dalls Porpoise near Chatham Point, Discovery Passage.
Thu Oct 08 2020
15:25 • Dalls Porpoise just south of McMullen Point, Discovery Passage.
HARBOUR PORPOISE
Thu Oct 01 2020
16:25 • 4 Harbour Porpoise off Galley Bay, Zephine Head, Desolation Sound.
Terry Brown and Jude Abrams, Otter Be Good Productions
Tue Oct 06 2020
14:45 • Harbour Porpoise Grant Reefs, Georgia Strait.
Terry Brown and Jude Abrams, Otter Be Good Productions
OTHER PORPOISE
Thu Oct 01 2020
10:50 • Other Porpoise, Mayne Passage.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River

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The Magazine
REGIONAL & NATIONAL
The work of 1,000 trees: N.S. scientist highlights the toll if whales become extinct
CBC News
A Nova Scotia researcher has joined hundreds of experts from around the world in a call for governments to better protect whales and dolphins before it’s too late.

Lindy Weilgart, a research associate with Dalhousie University, is one of more than 350 scientists and conservationists from 40 countries who have signed an open letter warning about the “real and imminent” extinction risk to various whale, porpoise and dolphin species….
read on

Coastal Job: Whale Snot Collector
Hakai Magazine
Justine Hudson is an Arctic marine mammal biologist who studies beluga whales, bowhead whales, narwhals, and walruses with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. In a recent project, she used a non-invasive technique-collecting mucus from whale "blow" as the animals exhale-to measure stress in a population of belugas near Churchill, Manitoba….
read on

SPECIAL SIGHTINGS
Second new orca baby spotted with J-Pod in less than a month
Fox 13 News
For the second time this month, a new southern resident orca calf has been spotted with the J-Pod in the Salish Sea.

Orca J41, also called Eclipse, gave birth to her second calf Thursday a few miles from Victoria, British Columbia….
read on

RESEARCH & CONSERVATION
Before migrating, some blue whales switch up the timing of their songs
ScienceNews
During the summer feeding season in high latitudes, male blue whales tend to sing at night. But shortly before migrating south to their breeding grounds, the whales switch up the timing and sing during the day, new research suggests.

This is not the first time that scientists have observed whales singing at a particular time of day. But the finding appears to be the first instance of changes in these daily singing patterns throughout the yearly feeding and mating cycle, says William Oestreich, a biological oceanographer at Stanford University….
read on

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