Baby Orca are born with a colour different from adult Orca, as seen in our cover image. Instead of white patches, baby Orca have patches of light brown and as they get older, the patches become white. Baby Orca will be between 2.0-meters to 2.5-meters long at birth and have a mass of at least 200-kg at birth. Regardless of the ecotype of Orca (Transient or Resident), Orca remain and travel with their mothers for the majority of their lives. Some pods contain 3 to 4 generations of Orca with the oldest member being a female leading the pod. Orca display a variety of behaviours at the surface, such as hunting, breaching, tail slapping, and spy-hopping. Let us know if you see Orca around and any other types of whales or dolphins!
PLEASE NOTE: Our links currently show as broken, but they DO work. We apologize for any confusion as we wait for Google’s fix.
Go to our Magazine section to learn about findings from studies done on Baird’s Beaked whales in the North Pacific and about studies on Fin whales on the east coast of the United States. The magazine section also has two articles regarding sightings of Orca here in B.C.
The Federal Government (DFO) issued the following statement about watching Orca in the wild: “Vessels must stay 400m away from all killer whales in southern BC coastal waters between Campbell River and just north of Ucluelet until May 31, 2024.” For all other areas of B.C. outside of the area indicated above, a minimum distance of 200-m must be maintained when viewing Orca OR while viewing any Cetaceans that are resting or with a calf. When viewing whales, dolphins, and porpoises under other circumstances not described above, a minimum distance of 100-m must be kept.
A great resource for up to date Canadian or US regulations: Be Whale Wise Guidelines
WOWs works throughout the year, so please continue to keep your eyes open, and report your sightings to us.
Sightings Update
SIGHTINGS MAP – ISSUE: 2024-003
TRANSIENT BIGGS KILLER WHALES
Fri Feb 16 2024
14:34 • est. 8+ Biggs Orca ◦T090s◦
spread out, heading south past the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait.
Barry Rice, Powell River, BC
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Biggs Orca – T090s – spread out, heading south past the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait.
Fri, 16 Feb 2024 – 3 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Biggs Orca – T090s – spread out, heading south past the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait.
Fri, 16 Feb 2024 – 3 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
14:52 • est. 5+ Biggs Orca ◦T090s◦
spread out, heading south between Westview in Powell River and Texada Island, Malaspina Strait.
One large male, 3-4 females, and some smaller ones.
Heather Harbord, Powell River, BC
15:25 • 9 Biggs Orca ◦T090s◦ heading south off Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
Sat Feb 17 2024
08:48 • est. 5+ Biggs Orca
milling and spread out, between the Powell River Viewpoint and Texada Island, Malaspina Strait.
Heather Harbord, Powell River, BC
10:15 • est. 10 Biggs Orca heading south from the Powell River Viewpoint towards Grief Point, Malaspina Strait.
Circling and interacting with sail boats (coming close to them). Possibly a hunt – lots of agitated splashing. Tail slaps, swimming on back, breeching. At least 1 baby, it was jumping. Observed first from the Viewpoint and then saw them again from Grief Point. ▫ Observed from Shore
CW, Powell River, BC
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Biggs Orca heading south from the Powell River Viewpoint towards Grief Point, Malaspina Strait
Sat, 17 Feb 2024 – 1 items
CW, Powell River, BC
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Biggs Orca heading south from the Powell River Viewpoint towards Grief Point, Malaspina Strait
Sat, 17 Feb 2024 – 1 items
CW, Powell River, BC
10:28 • Biggs Orca heading south close to the Powell River Ferry Terminal, Malaspina Strait.
Sherri Wretham, Powell River, BC
11:40 • est. 10+ Biggs Orca
moving quickly and spread out, heading south-east close to shore between Myrtle Rocks and Black (Albion) Point, Malaspina Strait.
It was difficult to count. The whales were in smaller groups spread over a large are and I missed the first few to pass by but could hear them up ahead of the ones I observed. They were moving quickly. ▫ Observed from Shore
Elizabeth Kennedy, Powell River, BC
11:53 • 3 Biggs Orca heading south in Blind Channel.
Eliot Richter, Blind Channel Resort
Mon Feb 19 2024
12:00 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ in front of Blind Channel.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
12:03 • Biggs Orca heading north at Blind Channel.
Eliot Richter, Blind Channel Resort
Wed Feb 21 2024
12:30 • Biggs Orca
breaching, off the southwest end of Savary Island, Georgia Strait. ▫ Second Hand
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society
15:35 • 3 Biggs Orca heading west at Little Bear Bay, Johnstone Strait.
Two small fin and one tiny baby.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
Sun Feb 25 2024
11:15 • Biggs Orca
taking long dives, heading north off the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait.
Barry Rice, Powell River, BC
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Biggs Orca heading north off the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait.
Sun, 25 Feb 2024 – 1 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Biggs Orca heading north off the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait.
Sun, 25 Feb 2024 – 1 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Mon Feb 26 2024
17:25 • est. 2 Biggs Orca
travelling, heading north-west between Black (Albion) Point and Myrtle Rocks, Malaspina Strait.
Close to shore. Caught sight of the whales just as they were disappearing from view so there could have been more. One was a male. ▫ Observed from Shore
Elizabeth Kennedy, Powell River, BC
Sun Mar 03 2024
14:24 • 2 Biggs Orca heading south a third of the way out from shore and below Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait.
Barry Rice, Powell River, BC
15:52 • 8 Biggs Orca heading south past Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait.
Only one big male.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
Mon Mar 04 2024
12:57 • 1 Biggs Orca heading north mid channel just north of Blubber Bay, Texada Island, Malaspina Strait.
Male. ▫ Second Hand
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Wed Mar 06 2024
15:18 • Biggs Orca heading south, Lund, Malaspina Strait.
Rick Thaddeus, Savary Island, BC
18:01 • Biggs Orca heading south, Sliammon / Tla’amin Nation, Malaspina Strait.
Few Orca spotted.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Killer Whales spread out near boats, Powell River
Sat, 17 Feb 2024 – 8 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Killer Whales spread out near boats, Powell River
Sat, 17 Feb 2024 – 8 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
NORTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES
Sun Feb 18 2024
–:– • NRKW Orca in Howe Sound.
Travelling to different parts within Howe Sound throughout the day. ▫ Second Hand
Ivan Ng, North Vancouver, BC
Thu Feb 29 2024
17:02 • est. 16+ NRKW Orca heading south off Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait.
Orca were in a number of smaller groups.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES
Fri Feb 16 2024
17:30 • est. 8-10 Orca close to shore off Possession Point, East Sooke, Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Observed from the balcony of SookePoint Ocean Cottage Resort. ▫ Observed from Shore
Johnny Le, Langley, BC
Unidentified Killer Whales
Killer Whales close to shore off Possession Point, East Sooke, Strait of Juan de Fuca
Fri, 16 Feb 2024 – 1 items
Johnny Le, Langley, BC
Unidentified Killer Whales
Killer Whales close to shore off Possession Point, East Sooke, Strait of Juan de Fuca
Fri, 16 Feb 2024 – 1 items
Johnny Le, Langley, BC
Thu Feb 29 2024
15:00 • 5 Orca heading south off Grief Point, Malaspina Strait.
Includes a tiny Orca.
Barry Rice, Powell River, BC
Unidentified Killer Whales
Killer Whales heading south off Grief Point, Malaspina Strait with calf
Thu, 29 Feb 2024 – 6 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Unidentified Killer Whales
Killer Whales heading south off Grief Point, Malaspina Strait with calf
Thu, 29 Feb 2024 – 6 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
HUMPBACK WHALES
Mon Feb 19 2024
11:05 • Humpback Whales in the middle of Mayne Passage.
12:00 • 1 Humpback Whales in front of Blind Channel.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
Wed Feb 21 2024
14:30 • est. 2 Humpback Whales
foraging; moving slowly, heading south-east in Newcombe Channel, Barkley Sound.
Slow traveling, 4 spouts before a 4-5 min dive. ▫ From Power or Sail Boat
GC, Ucluelet, BC
Humpback Whales
2 Humpback Whales heading south-east in Newcombe Channel, Barkley Sound.
Wed, 21 Feb 2024 – 1 items
GC, Ucluelet, BC
Humpback Whales
2 Humpback Whales heading south-east in Newcombe Channel, Barkley Sound.
Wed, 21 Feb 2024 – 1 items
GC, Ucluelet, BC
GREY WHALES
Wed Feb 21 2024
–:– • 1 Grey Whales in Barkley Sound.
Observed in the first half of the day.
GC, Ucluelet, BC
HARBOUR PORPOISE
Mon Feb 19 2024
08:00 • est. 20 Harbour Porpoise heading south off Whyte Islet, West Vancouver, Queen Charlotte Channel.
A few surfaced very quickly and went back down quickly that they were mistaken for Pacific White-Sided dolphins.
08:25 • est. 3 Harbour Porpoise off Whytecliff Park, West Vancouver, Queen Charlotte Channel.
Saw them surface once. They were pointed southward.
Ivan Ng, North Vancouver, BC
Archive Explorer
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