Where are the dolphins?
Pods of Pacific White-Sided dolphins were observed in a few areas but notably, some of these dolphins were off Powell River for consecutive days at the end of March. The pods were of various sizes. Orca are the largest type of dolphin. Transient Orca were observed in a number of areas, with some appearing off Campbell River late in the day on Easter Sunday. One sighting of Southern Resident Orca occurred off Sechelt in March. Cetaceans can be seen from land or from the sea if you are on a boat, ship, or ferry. One needs to be patient and persistent in scanning the water for signs of Cetaceans. Splashes, fins, blows, and sounds of blows are clues that Cetaceans are close by. Let us know of your sightings and experiences with whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
In our Magazine section, learn about the tusk of the narwhal, the conservation of Yangtze Finless porpoises, and researchers using an omnidirectional camera to study whales.
The Federal Government (DFO) 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.
Archive Explorer navigates 25,000+ Cetacean Sightings, images, videos and audio recordings. Please use the the funnel in our Map for access to our huge range of filters. Those wishing Research information in a spreadsheet format, please Click Here
*Recommended for desktop browsers and newer mobile devices
Archive Explorer dives into the Coastal Cetacean world. View Cetacean sighting locations, photos and videos:
- All species including Orca, Humpback, Grey Whale or Dalls Porpoise
- Follow the endangered Southern Residents Orca in the Salish Sea
- Search for encounters with T002C2 Tumbo
- Witness a close-up Orca encounter video in Port Alberni harbour
- Follow the T010s Transients as they hunt and travel the inside passage
- Track "KC", the ever popular Humpback's movements
- Locate any of 12,000+ named locations on the BC and WA State coast
- Print custom sighting reports and maps (Coming Soon)
Archive Explorer Help Page explains many advanced functions
Send your Comments and Questions to: Archive Explorer Feedback
To access 25,000+ sightings in our database in a downloadable csv file for use in a research spreadsheet, please Click Here.
Whale watchers also spotted the Southern Resident orca J-pod swimming against the outgoing tide up the east coast of San Juan Island. In all, the Pacific Whale Watch Association reported seeing 56 orcas over the weekend….
read on
The pods of third graders played a game mimicking migration patterns of the gray whale, held baleen in their hands while learning about feeding methods and took a look at a massive skull of the cetacean that was hauled to the school on Thursday by Washington State Parks staff….
read on
read on
Researchers read 10 episodes of rhinoceros growths in northwestern Greenland because they know very little about it because it spends most of its life under large ice sheets in the remote Arctic….
read on
"About 20 years ago, it came to us that culture-in the sense of what they’re learning from each other-is very important for sperm whales," Whitehead says. A new study by Whitehead, University of St. Andrews biologist Luke Rendell and retired NOAA scientist and whaling expert Tim Smith, published on March 17 in the journal Biology Letters, underscores this point….
read on
read on
Gray’s beaked whales living in the deep oceans of the Southern Hemisphere are rarely seen alive and their ecology has remained a mystery to scientists until now….
read on
The main habitat of finless porpoises, the only mammal in the Yangtze River, is the river’s mainstream as well as the Dongting and Poyang lakes….
read on