Support Orca Network - Webshop & Membership

Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network

Related Resources  & Links

NEW Federal
Orca - Vessel Law

Be Whale Wise

WA State Vessel Law

Whales and Dolphins BC

Three siblings ... T65A3, T65A4, T65A5. Photo by Tasli Shaw, May 28, 2014.

Family (minus one...) T65A ... T65A5, 65A3, 65A4 Photo by Tasli Shaw, May 28, 2014.

The most photographed calf this season. T65A5. Photo by Tasli Shaw, May 28, 2014.

The Orca streak continues!! T65A's today in the Vancouver harbour. We started heading out towards a report near Crofton and got a call about whales near Vancouver so we turned around and were lucky enough to pick them up. They were just traveling for the most part but did make one seal kill.
Gary Sutton, Wild Whales Vancouver

T65A, T65A5 and T65A4 with the Vancouver skyline. Photo by Gary Sutton, May 28, 2014.

Mom and baby (T65A & T65A5). Photo by Gary Sutton, May 28, 2014.

We had the T049A's and the T065A's on the morning of May 27th s.e. of Hein Bank followed by T097 and T093.  Thanks to Ivan Reiff for some great shore spotting from Cattle Point.  They all ended up going north up Haro Strait.  The T049A's and T065A's followed close to the shoreline while T093 and T097 lagged behind and offshore.
Mark Malleson, Prince of Whales Whale Watch

T097 and T093 north west bound offshore San Juan Island. Photo by Mark Malleson, May 27, 2014.

T049A1 porpoising towards San Juan Island from the south. Photo by Mark Malleson, May 27, 2014.

Two new transient orcas were reported in Canadian waters near Darcy Island. Once on scene, our transient expert Mark was able to identify them as T93 and T97, a pair of males who are often seen traveling as a pair. The trips had time to return to the original group of 12 transients!
Our afternoon was with the two "twin" males near Sidney and the larger group still traveling north towards Turn Point. The larger group, although difficult to identify exactly which individuals were there, were believed to be 3 different families together.
Prince of Whales Whale Watch

Great day out on the water today! Spent the day watching three groups of transients off San Juan Island/ Salmon Bank. I was able to ID the T049As, T065As, T093, and T097. Lots of high speed porpoising.
Josh McInnes

Transients T049As, T065As, T093 and T097. Photo by Josh McInnes, May 27, 2014.

T093 and T097. Photo by Josh McInnes, May 27, 2014.

Photo by Josh McInnes, May 27, 2014.

T051, T049A2, and T049A1 off Discovery Island. Photo by Mark Malleson, May 26, 2014.

Ken Balcomb spotted 11 T's from shore  inside Secretary island on the afternoon of May 26th.  I waited until they got east of Trial Island in the evening before going out to confirm ID's. They were the T049A's, T065A's, T051 and T091.
Mark Malleson

T124A sporting some shiny new gouges around her eye! Photo by Andy Scheffler, May 26, 2014.

The perils of hunting food that fights back. Either a TO124A or TO90 off Moresby Island BC Saturday. If you open it large you can see a strip of skin has been peeled back and is hanging over her eye. Photo by James Gresham, May 26, 2014.

BC Ferries reported that there was a group of whales right in the middle of Active Pass, 5 transient orcas! The group were later identified as T124A's and T90's.
Prince of Whales Whale Watch

We saw 4 or 5 whales go by our place at Otter Point just after 1:30 today.
Sharon Orr

2:27 - They were up by Jones Island. Id's as the T049As. Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, May 25, 2014.

Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, May 25, 2014.

Photo by Tasli Shaw, May 24, 2014.

Photo by Tasli Shaw, May 24, 2014.

The T90s and T101s traveling in a tight group NW past Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island (furthest point north i've been on a tour so far). T87 was also in attendance, but was traveling separate from the group (more than a mile away). Photo by Tasli Shaw, May 24, 2014.

T90C and mom T90 at Qualicum Beach (furthest point north I've been on a tour so far). Photo by Tasli Shaw, May 24, 2014.

T49S. Race Rocks. Photo by Capt. Jim Maya, May 24, 2014.

The furthest north I've ever gone today!! We chased a report all the way up to Qualicum Beach area before spotting the T90's, T101's and T87. They had just made a kill when we first spotted them and celebrated with some breaches and tail slaps. They tightened up into a resting formation after and cruised west. It was such a beautiful day and amazing lighting to see them. Here are few shots of the 90's and 101's.
Gary Sutton, Wild Whales Vancouver

T90's and T101's. Photo by Gary Sutton, May 24, 2014.

T90's and T101's. Photo by Gary Sutton, May 24, 2014.

Depoe Bay Oregon Ranger Renee Fowler called this morning to report seeing four orcas heading north past Depoe Bay at 10:15, including one adult male.

A minke circles around a forage fish ball (probably immature herring, smelt or sand lance) also attracting many squacking gulls. Photo by Susan Marie Andersson, May 28, 2014.

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.