Category: Whales

There’s been a lot of excitement in Vancouver over the sightings of a young humpback whale who’s been making regular appearances in English Bay. While we on the West Coast are used to encounters with wildlife — bears, eagles, raccoons, etc. — whales are a rare treat in urban areas. But as much as we … Continued

It’s a perfect August morning in Johnstone Strait: sunny, not a breath of wind, perfect visibility; the ocean glistening dark green with the reflection of forested mountains. My colleagues John Durban and Holly Fearnbach, researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Southwest Fisheries Science Centre in San Diego and long-time friends, are seated on … Continued

Recently, the B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network received some very exciting reports of whales, including large groups of killer whales in Active Pass, a breaching humpback whale in Howe Sound, and a wandering grey whale that found its way along the Sunshine Coast into English Bay. Each of these sightings provided B.C. residents and visitors  incredible … Continued

With the recent flux of summer killer whale sightings in B.C., I’ve often been asked, “Why do we always see killer whales travelling in groups? Are these breeding groups, families, or just random congregations of whales that happen to be at the same place at the same time?” After humans, killer whales have some of … Continued

Last week, a group of Bigg’s (transient) killer whales swam into Departure Bay off Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Researchers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) Cetacean Research Program took to the water to take photographs to identify each of the whales. It wasn’t the presence of Bigg’s killer whales in Departure Bay that got researchers … Continued

It’s official, spring is upon us! While the season brings a suite of familiar signs: crocuses, buds on trees, and bird song, if you turn your eyes to the water, you may also be lucky enough to witness the first wave of migratory whales – grey whales. Grey whales are large, measuring upwards of 14 … Continued

There has been a lot of buzz in the news lately surrounding newborn killer whales off the coast of British Columbia including the surprise addition to L pod confirmed yesterday, making it three total newborn whales in the past few months. Killer whale births can certainly be cause for excitement. Not only can they be … Continued

Many of us try to spend as much of the summer by the ocean as possible: sunning on the shore, riding the waves, or setting sail. That’s the main reason that the B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network experiences a bump in the number of sightings of whales, dolphins, porpoises and sea turtles recorded during the summer … Continued