Have You Seen Any of These?

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Killer Whales Popping Up, Dolphins and Porpoise


As we post our Sightings Update and Maps there are more reports of Transient Bigg's Killer Whales by Campbell River including T087 who appears to have joined up with another six whales while another group is a bit farther along. We will post the reports and photos in our next update. There were rumours of Northern Resident Orca, but nothing was ever confirmed. We have had a number of Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Dall's and Harbour Porpoise, but what is missing from the central to Northern Georgia Strait are the Humpback Whales.
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society

Society News & Events

Our Earth Day Fundraiser held in Powell River was a great success and together with the funds we raised last year, has provided enough to obtain the equipment needed for our first Real Time Monitoring Station slated for Grief Point in Powell River. Well done volunteers and all those who donated!

Are you the type of volunteer interested in Cetacea and mapping, who would be willing to spend some time with our growing Society network?

Review our current Volunteer Job Postings

Summer 2016 Raffle: This year our draw will be on Canada Day, July 1st. Great prizes include Pacific Coastal Flight, Eagle Eye Adventure Tour, Stubbs Island Whale Watching Tour, BC Ferries Pass, Campbell River Whale Watching Tour, I'Hos Cultural Tour, Discovery Marine Safaris Tour, and Beyond the Road Desolation Sound Cruise. Tickets are $5. each and can be ordered through our Add To Cart button.

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
We are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society
Call 1-877-323-9776


Sightings Update
SIGHTINGS MAP 2016-010
SIGHTINGS LOCATIONS MAP


TRANSIENT BIGG'S KILLER WHALES

Mon Apr 25 2016

17:16 • Bigg`s Orca heading West and South out of Active Pass. ◦T49s◦
Aaron Nagler, Vancouver, BC


Sat Apr 23 2016

13:30 • 5 Bigg`s Orca by Steep Island, Discovery Passage. ◦T101s, T102◦ Two males, three females. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours


Wed Apr 20 2016

16:10 • 7 Bigg`s Orca heading South-West between the north end of Gambier Island and the north end of Woolridge Island, Howe Sound. ◦T124s◦
Aaron Nagler, Vancouver, BC



SOUTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES

Mon Apr 25 2016

17:16 • SRKW Orca heading South at the Northern end of Haro Strait. ◦J-pod◦
Aaron Nagler, Vancouver, BC


Tue Apr 19 2016

11:05 • 3 SRKW Orca travelling, heading South-West off East Point on Saturna Island, Boundary Pass. A large fin (male) was seen. ▫ Observed from Shore
Shirley Sparks, East point



Southern Resident Killer Whales
Tue Apr 19 2016 - 1 Images / Media Files
Shirley Sparks, East point


Southern Resident Killer Whales
Tue Apr 19 2016 - 1 Images / Media Files
Shirley Sparks, East point





UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES

Tue Apr 26 2016

10:15 • 12 Orca heading North off of Qualicum Beach heading towards Denman Island, Georgia Strait. One adult seemed to be teaching a calf to breach or tail slap. Hard to distinguish. Adult doing full breach.
Jack Yensen, Parksville



Unidentified Killer Whales
Orca off Qualicum Beach
Tue Apr 26 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Jack Yensen, Parksville



Unidentified Killer Whales
Orca off Qualicum Beach
Tue Apr 26 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Jack Yensen, Parksville



08:35 • Orca likely off of Bates Beach closer to Vancouver Island, Georgia Strait. Ferry is angled towards Bates Beach but whale can not be seen from Powell River. ▫ From Ferry
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching


Mon Apr 25 2016

09:38 • 4-5 Orca heading South passed Myrtle Rocks in the center of Malaspina Strait. Two bulls and two calves observed in the group.
Jim Southern, Powell River

07:59 • 3-4 Orca heading South in front of Powell River, Malaspina Strait. They were observed from the Westview Ferry Docks. ▫ Observed from Shore
Barry Pennell, Powell River


Sun Apr 24 2016

12:24 • 1+ Orca heading North-West past Dinner Rock angling towards the east end of Savary Island, Malaspina Strait. Centre of strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
11:40 • 1-3 Orca heading North off of Sliammon North of Powell River, Malaspina Strait. In lumpy seas. ▫ Observed from Shore
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.

11:12 • Orca heading South in Lewis Channel.
Curtis, Coast Wild Fishing


Sat Apr 23 2016

15:52 • 2 Orca heading North off the ferry terminal at Powell River, Malaspina Strait.
Barry Pennell, Powell River

12:57 • 2 Orca heading South in Seymour Narrows, Discovery Passage. Two big fins.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

11:00 • Orca at Race Point, Discovery Passage. Orca groups from earlier passed each other going in different direction. No interaction at all.
10:01 • 3 Orca heading South at Browns Bay, Discovery Passage. Small fins fighting the tide.
09:33 • 5-6 Orca heading North at Cape Mudge Lighthouse on Quadra Island, Georgia Strait. One large male was observed.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching


Thu Apr 21 2016

12:30 • 7-8 Orca heading North near Comox, Baynes Sound. Turned towards Powell River/Texada Island. Nothing overly exciting. Possibly chasing fish. They did not go in a straight line!.
Blair Smith, Courtenay



Unidentified Killer Whales
Thu Apr 21 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Blair Smith, Courtenay



Unidentified Killer Whales
Thu Apr 21 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Blair Smith, Courtenay



11:47 • 5 Orca off Gartley Point, Baynes Sound. One big bull in the group. They were heading into the bay. ▫ Second Hand
Bill Coltart, Pacific Pro Dive


Wed Apr 20 2016

16:00 • 3-5 Orca breaching, heading South between Cortes Island and Copeland Islands, Malaspina Strait. They hung around my boat for 20 mins swimming super close. ▫ On Scene
Chris Murdock, Cortes Island



Unidentified Killer Whales
Close Encounter
Wed Apr 20 2016 - 3 Images / Media Files
Chris Murdock, Cortes Island




Unidentified Killer Whales
Close Encounter
Wed Apr 20 2016 - 3 Images / Media Files
Chris Murdock, Cortes Island





PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS

Mon Apr 25 2016

15:00 • PWS Dolphins in Frederick Arm. ▫ Second Hand
Radio, overheard or call out


Sat Apr 23 2016

14:24 • 15 PWS Dolphins milling, at McMullen Point, Discovery Passage.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours


Fri Apr 22 2016

13:33 • 12 PWS Dolphins near Hardinge Island, Nodales Channel. ▫ Second Hand
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

09:02 • 20 PWS Dolphins heading North passing Myrtle Rocks, Malaspina Strait.
Jim Southern, Powell River


Thu Apr 21 2016

19:30 • 5 PWS Dolphins milling, about half a mile off of Brew Bay South of Powell River, Malaspina Strait. They were observed for 10 minutes or so. Because of their behaviour and being such a small group , I thought they were harbour porpoises; a closer look with a scope showed that they were Dolphins. ▫ Observed from Shore
Robert Johnson, Powell River

10:51 • 12 PWS Dolphins foraging, off Copper Bluffs on the West side of Quadra Island, Discovery Passage.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching


Wed Apr 20 2016

15:15 • 15 PWS Dolphins playing, heading North in Deepwater Bay, Discovery Passage.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours



DALL'S PORPOISE

Mon Apr 25 2016

15:00 • Dall`s Porpoise in Frederick Arm. ▫ Second Hand
Radio, overheard or call out


Fri Apr 22 2016

15:38 • 2 Dall`s Porpoise East of Rendezvous Islands, Drew Passage.
Jos Krynen, Eagle Eye Adventures



HARBOUR PORPOISE

Fri Apr 22 2016

12:40 • 3-5 Harbour Porpoise zig zagging, heading North-East about 2.5km south-east of Point Atkinson and 2.5km south-west of West Bay, Burrard Inlet. Was paddling back from Lighthouse Park to False Creek when just about 20min from Lighthouse Park I saw the porpoises come up for air. ▫ On Scene
Nima Mostaghimi, Vancouver

12:20 • 2-3 Harbour Porpoise heading North off Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver, Queen Charlotte Channel. I was able to see them through binoculars. ▫ Observed from Shore
Ivan Ng, North Vancouver


Wed Apr 20 2016

14:30 • 4 Harbour Porpoise travelling, heading South by the park in Whytecliff in West Vancouver, Queen Charlotte Channel. The porpoises surfaced about 50 m from the shore. ▫ Observed from Shore
Ivan Ng, North Vancouver

SIGHTINGS HEAT MAP 2016-010
SIGHTINGS HEAT MAP


The Magazine
REGIONAL & WEST COAST

Blue Ocean Whale Watch



Three gray whale cow/calf pairs cruising together through the kelp forest beneath the cliffs of Big Sur, chaperoned by a bottlenose dolphin.


Breitbart News, CA




The Orca attack on a large pod of Common dolphins was captured on video by a whale-watcher with Sanctuary Cruises near Moss Landing Harbor, CA. The video shows the dolphins swimming away and leaping in desperation, causing a flurry of waves as they scatter to safety, and then follows the Orca pod sharing the meal among the pod and their young.


News OK, OK


Federal biologists have temporarily stopped tagging endangered killer whales in Washington state's Puget Sound after a dead orca was found with pieces of a dart tag lodged in its dorsal fin.

Researchers use a dart projector to fire the small satellite-linked transmitters into the animals to track where they go in the winter and how they find food. An initial exam ...


CANADA

CBC News, NS


These marine behemoths may have their own distinct dialects and cultures — and prefer other whales that are most like themselves, according to a marine researcher at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

After analyzing 30 years of underwater recordings, PhD candidate Mauricio Cantor has found sperm whales learn to communicate from their peers and relatives, in much the same way that humans do.


Hakai Magazine


This in depth article looks at how lost fishing gear keeps on doing the job it was designed for long after its owners are gone, entangling and trapping marine mammals ...


INTERNATIONAL

Science World Report


Researchers are highlighting the role of dolphins as an animal sentinel in identifying a public health hazard. This article looks at recent research in Florida, that has found similar mercury levels among human poulations in the viscinity of dolphin pods identified with high mercury levels.



Giant Blue-Finned Tuna - Killer Whale - BBC Animals
BBC Animals




A BBC film available online looks at Orca outsmarting fishermen in the Mediterranean.


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Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
We are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society
Call 1-877-323-9776