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Whales and Dolphins BC

Today a family of four Transients/Bigg's Whales were found off the scenic bluffs of Turn Point Lighthouse, but we've had only a few whale reports in the past ten days. That's one reason we haven't sent out a report since February 28, but it's also because we just opened the new Langley Whale Center on March 1. We're open Thursday through Sunday, 11 to 5 with displays about the natural history of Salish Sea orcas and the gray whales of Saratoga Passage and Possession Sound.

A few months ago California Assemblyman Richard Bloom saw the movie Blackfish. Today he

proposed legislation that would ban the use of captive orcas for entertainment in that state. It's not certain it will pass this year, but it will certainly ratchet up the already intensifying debate.

Another debate is now swirling around the death two years ago of 3-year old female L112. All the evidence strongly indicates she was hit by an underwater detonation, and yet the recently released official report can't arrive at a cause of death, much less a perpetrator. Ken Balcomb conducted his own investigation however, and has submitted his results to NOAA in a detailed summary, discussed in Chris Dunagan's Kitsap Sun blog, "Ken Balcomb calls for further review of orca's death." Her loss was a devastating blow to the survival of her matriline and the entire Southern Resident community, now down to only 80 members. Ken suggests that her mother, L86, may have carried her lifeless body south toward Long Beach where she washed up, as has been seen among orcas when a family member dies. It's not easy to question findings published by friends and colleagues, but it's important for everyone to know what happened to prevent it from happening again.

4:20 - We had the T18 transient quartet. T19B, Old Floppy Fin, is the one of the most amazing whales to be seen in these waters. He's the biggest one in these pics. Turn Pt. Light and Boundary Pass.

10:13 - James Mead Maya reports whales on the west side of San Juan Island near the county park.

The T18 transient quartet at Turn Point Lighthouse. Photo by Jim Maya, March 7, 2014.

A member of the T18s takes a look around. Photo by Jim Maya, March 7, 2014.

The T18 transient quartet. Photo by Jim Maya, March 7, 2014.

T19B. Photo by Jim Maya, March 7, 2014.

T19B. Photo by Jim Maya, March 7, 2014.

I left the T018's at around 14:00 at turn Pt.

Alan Hobbes Buchanan

T011 and T011A off Tofino BC March 3, 2014. Photo courtesy of the Tofino Whale Centre, sent in and ID'd by Josh McInnes.

Transient killer whales in Race Passage, southwest of Victoria. Photo by Mark Malleson, March 2, 2014.

Transient killer whales in Race Passage. Photo by Mark Malleson, March 2, 2014.

Rhonda Reidy came across a group of 10 east bound transients near Secretary Island in the afternoon. I arrived as they were entering Becher Bay and watched them move quickly to Race Passage where I left them at 1540 traveling north east for Victoria.

Mark Malleson, Prince of Whales

We saw between 7 and 9 orcas heading south along Bainbridge Island, about 2nm north of Eagle Harbor, at 1:30pm today. I think there were 2 males, maybe 3.
Alex Wetmore

I came across T124C at the mouth of Becher Bay @ 1145. I left him at 1245 exiting Race Passage traveling east.

Mark Malleson, Prince of Whales

At about 4:45 a 3 or 4 orcas were off north end ferry dock on Vashon. Heading south towards dolphin point. Waning light but I may go try to find some tricky Ts

Amy Carey

4:10 PM - Orca sighting during a day sail feeding just north of Pt. Monroe (the curved sand(?) bar just NE of the mouth of Port Madison entrance, at the north end of Bainbridge Is), through binoculars, while watching a pod of porpoise off our stern.

David Kobernuss

Mark spotted a lone transient orca feeding in Becher Bay. T124C is a young male who travels by himself.

Prince of Whale Whale Watching

ABOUT ORCA NETWORK  
Orca Network is a 501 c3 nonprofit organization, dedicated to raising awareness about the whales of the Pacific Northwest, and the importance of providing them healthy and safe habitats.
Orca Network's Whale Sighting Network involves citizens in helping researchers track the movement of whales, and encourages people to observe whales from their homes, businesses, ferries, and beaches.
Whale reports are sent in to our Sighting Network and emailed out to researchers, agencies, and citizens on our network, and posted on our website (MAP of sightings also on website). Whale reports and observations are sent in by a variety of sources, and Orca Network does not guarantee the accuracy of any report or whale identification.

 

TO REPORT WHALES, CALL: 1-866-ORCANET (1-866-672-2638), email info@orcanetwork.org, or post sightings on our Orca Network Facebook page.

 

*BE WHALE WISE! BOATERS - NEW FEDERAL REGULATIONS IN EFFECT AS OF MAY 16, 2011:

 "The new rules prohibit vessels from approaching any killer whale closer than 200 yards and forbid vessels from intercepting a whale or positioning the vessel in its path. This doubles the current approach distance of 100 yards. The rules go into effect May 16 and apply to all types of boats, including motor boats, sail boats and kayaks, in Washington"

 

For more information on the new Federal Regulations, visit the NOAA Fisheries website. 

 

 
To report harassment of whales in US waters, call NOAA Enforcement: 1-800-853-1964;

In Canadian waters, call DFO's Observe Record and Report (ORR) Violations Hotline: 1-800- 465-4336

Report the boat name &/or a description of the boat, & get photos if at all possible.