T087, a large male Transient Bigg's Killer Whale has joined back up with the pod he most frequently had been seen with over the past few years, the T086A's. There is however one missing female Orca from the pod; T086A1. Reports of other Bigg's Orca on a Dall's Porpoise hunt in the inlets has also come in. Of note that there were three Grey Whales transitting up our inside waters and one Humpback sighting. Pacific White Sided Dolphins have also returned in a variety of group sizes, perhaps all preparing for the local Herring spawn. Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society
Transient Bigg's Orca T086A with calf.
Photo Feb. 21, 2016 by Jay Feaver, Powell River
Society News
Our April 22, 2016 Earth Day Fundraising Event including buffet dinner, live music and some fun fundraising activities is scheduled for Powell River at the Beach Gardens Resort and Marina's PowWow Banquet Room. Tickets are $20.00 each and available at Beach Gardens and Hindle's Gifts or through our Society Members. This will be our first location for our Real Time Wildlife Monitoring system which will stream on line, once all resources are available.
Our GoFundMe Campaign to help us out with our Real Time Monitoring Stations can be accessed at:
https://www.gofundme.com/WOWsociety
Review our current Volunteer Job Postings
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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
Sightings Update
SIGHTINGS MAP 2016-005
TRANSIENT BIGG'S KILLER WHALES
Tue Feb 23 2016
18:43 • Bigg`s Orca hunting,, Bute Inlet. Report from heli fishing guide on return fight. Killer Whales attacking Dall's porpoise in Bute Inlet. ▫ Second Hand
Geord Dunstan, Discovery Marine Safaris
Sun Feb 21 2016
20:13 • 4 Bigg`s Orca hunting, heading South in front of Powell River in Malaspina Strait. ◦T087 with T086A's◦ They had been active ( getting a sea lion I figure) and then really mellowed out and just milled around. The sun went behind the clouds as I was heading out but still took a bunch of shots. Just for 15 mins. Ended up shutting motors off and they were at the surface a lot. The male slapped his tale once. The make looks like that same one from a couple weeks ago. Was it T087? And a female with a really small one. This one had a white eye patch but no saddle I think. Stuck with mom the whole time and there was another juvenile or female too with a good notch in the trailer edge of dorsal.
Jay Feaver, Powell River, CCG
Transient Bigg' s Killer Whales
Sun Feb 21 2016 - 10 Images / Media Files
Jay Feaver, Powell River, CCG
Transient Bigg' s Killer Whales
Sun Feb 21 2016 - 10 Images / Media Files
Jay Feaver, Powell River, CCG
18:00 • 4 Bigg`s Orca right in front of Powell River. ◦T087, T086A's◦ There's one big male, two females and one calf. ▫ Observed from Shore
Steve & Susan Grover, Powell River, BC
17:20 • 4 Bigg`s Orca breaching, out from the viewpoint in Powell River. I was out on my deck with no phone, but spotted the Orca and managed some photos. They're quite a ways out. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Transient Bigg' s Killer Whales
Sun Feb 21 2016 - 8 Images / Media Files
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Transient Bigg' s Killer Whales
Sun Feb 21 2016 - 8 Images / Media Files
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
17:12 • 4 Bigg`s Orca heading South in front of Powell River. ◦T087 with T086A's◦ ID's from photos submitted - T86A1 is missing from the pod - SM. ▫ On Scene
Jay Feaver, Powell River, CCG
Transient Bigg' s Killer Whales
Sun Feb 21 2016 - 1 Images / Media Files
Jay Feaver, Powell River, CCG
Transient Bigg' s Killer Whales
Sun Feb 21 2016 - 1 Images / Media Files
Jay Feaver, Powell River, CCG
Fri Feb 12 2016
12:31 • 1 Bigg`s Orca off Powell River. ◦T087◦ Only saw one Orca. He was in a big hurry. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Transient Bigg' s Killer Whales
Fri Feb 12 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Transient Bigg' s Killer Whales
Fri Feb 12 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
11:57 • Bigg`s Orca near Harwood Island. ▫ Second Hand
Micheline Macauley, Texada Island, BC
10:25 • 3 Bigg`s Orca heading North by Myrtle Rocks. The group includes 2 bulls and a small calf.
Jim Southern, Powell River
HUMPBACK WHALES
Sun Feb 14 2016
12:15 • 1 Humpback Whales heading North close to Harwood Island. It was heading towards Atrevida Reef.
Jay Feaver, Powell River, CCG
GREY WHALES
Fri Feb 19 2016
17:21 • 2-3 Grey Whale heading North-West almost to Rebecca Rocks. They are angling towards Vancouver Island.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Wed Feb 24 2016
17:48 • PWS Dolphins off the viewpoint in Powell River. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Wed Feb 24 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Wed Feb 24 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
10:44 • 2-3 PWS Dolphins heading North by the Van Anda Cove shore of Texada Isl. angling towards Blubber Bay in Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
Micheline Macauley, Texada Island, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Wed Feb 24 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Micheline Macauley, Texada Island, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Wed Feb 24 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Micheline Macauley, Texada Island, BC
Tue Feb 23 2016
16:14 • PWS Dolphins heading South already by Myrtle Rocks in Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
Micheline Macauley, Texada Island, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Tue Feb 23 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Micheline Macauley, Texada Island, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Tue Feb 23 2016 - 2 Images / Media Files
Micheline Macauley, Texada Island, BC
16:00 • 20 PWS Dolphins heading South quickly off Grief Point, Powell River in Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Tue Feb 23 2016 - 3 Images / Media Files
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Tue Feb 23 2016 - 3 Images / Media Files
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
15:45 • PWS Dolphins heading South off Powell River in Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
Micheline Macauley, Texada Island, BC
Mon Feb 22 2016
18:00 • 10-13 PWS Dolphins turned, heading North in front of Powell River close to viewpoint in Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Mon Feb 22 2016 - 3 Images / Media Files
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Mon Feb 22 2016 - 3 Images / Media Files
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
16:12 • 10-12 PWS Dolphins heading South off Powell River in Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Thu Feb 11 2016
13:48 • 8-10 PWS Dolphins heading North off Shingle Beach on Texada Island in Strait of Georgia.
Micheline Macauley, Texada Island, BC
Mon Feb 08 2016
13:00 • 200+ PWS Dolphins heading South-East between Willow Point and Shelter Point in Strait of Georgia. The dolphins were travelling South past Willow Point and on down to Shelter Point where they somewhat dispersed, with the majority heading over in the general direction of Mitlenatch island.
I was surprised to see no one had reported this as there were a lot of boats on the water last Monday. ▫ On Scene
Bill Kennedy, Campbell River
DALL'S PORPOISE
Wed Feb 24 2016
18:43 • Dall`s Porpoise being hunted,, Bute Inlet. Report from heli fishing guide on return fight. Killer Whales attacking Dall's porpoise in Bute Inlet. ▫ Second Hand
Geord Dunstan, Discovery Marine Safaris
SIGHTINGS HEAT MAP 2016-005
The Magazine
REGIONAL & WEST COAST
Eugene Weekly
Each summer, around 200 whales decide that Oregon is the place to be, and rather than go back to Alaska for the summer, they stop in Oregon and hang out until it’s time to return to Mexico.
So how do summer residents pass the time while they’re here? They get frisky. And at 50 feet long, these cetaceans make a big splash.
“They have sex just for the fun of it,” says gray whale researcher and whale-watching guide Carrie Newell, based in Depoe Bay. She takes tour boats of whale watchers into Oregon coast waters throughout the year.
94.9 FM | Seattle News & Information
There have been 10 births in the last year. Nine calves are surviving, swimming alongside their mothers and aunts. For the southern residents, it’s the biggest baby boom since the 1970s.
Could this mark a turnaround in the health of the orca population? Does it mean conservation efforts are finally paying off?
“What it means,” Balcomb said, “is there are nine more mouths to feed and no more fish.” He says it will be a miracle if all these babies survive until the summer of 2017.
Hakai Magazine
Last year, Soundwatch counted 1,635 infractions during 393 hours of observation during peak whale-watching season, from May to September. Canadian commercial operators were responsible for 19 percent of the incidents, and US commercial operators for 11 percent. The biggest culprits, although there are also more of them: private recreational boaters, accounting for 60 percent of the breaches. The remainder involved kayakers, aircraft, and government, research, and commercial fishing vessels.
University of Washington
Two distinct populations spend winters in the Bering Sea, then move north as sea ice melts and open water allows them passage into the Beaufort and Chukchi seas. There they feast on Arctic cod, frequently diving to depths of 200 to 300 meters — and sometimes over 900 meters (0.5 miles) — to find food.
National Geographic
View this 3-part Video National Geographic documentary on the Chugath transients of Alaska who were caught up in the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill.
More than two decades after the disaster, the future is bleak for a genetically unique pod of Alaskan orcas.
Two pods of orcas were caught up directly in the spill. One, the so-called resident orcas, lost 14 of its 36 members after the spill. These fish-eating orcas still haven’t recovered. Even worse off is the “transient” pod—orcas that feed on seals and other marine mammals living in the sound. The "Chugach transients," as they're called, are the stars of this three part documentary.
Canadian Press
Researchers say a third rare, predominantly tropical animal has found its way to a cold British Columbia beach this winter.
This time, the rarely seen Risso's dolphin was found dead on a Haida Gwaii beach, far away from the warm waters where the animal is normally spotted.
CANADA
CBC TV
NOTE: Runs well in the CBC TV Mobile App
The 45 mins. episode chronicles the beluga of the St. Lawrence beluga whales and the scientists who have worked for decades against long odds to help them.
INTERNATIONAL
National Geographic
Recent expeditions off Madagascar revealed the whales devouring tiny shrimp-like creatures, as well as guzzling large mouthfuls of “dirty water"—a phenomenon scientists can't yet explain.
Press and Journal, Aberdeen
Investigations led by the University of Aberdeen, in collaboration with the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, have shown that a pod of whales stranded in Fife in 2012 had high concentrations of toxic chemicals, some of which had reached the mammals’ brains.
Independant, Ireland
Ninety five dolphins, fin whales and a humpback whale were spotted during one outing by a local whale watch tour group. It is believed that global warming is attracting ever increasing numbers of attractive mammals (and rare birds) to the South West Wexford coast.
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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