Bigg’s orcas are becoming so plentiful and active in the Salish Sea that hardly a day goes by without multiple sightings, according to a research group.
The Orca Behavior Institute said Tuesday that the transient orcas have been spotted in local waters every day since March 12.
July was particularly noteworthy, with 214 unique sightings of Bigg’s killer whales.
That’s well above the 124 unique sightings in July 2023, said Monika Wieland Shields, director of the institute based in Friday Harbor, Washington.
Orca Behavior Institute defines a unique sighting as a sighting of a distinct group of Bigg’s killer whales on a specific day. While the same group of orcas might be reported by multiple sources, scientists only count each group once per day.
The institute compiles data from professional whale watchers, regional groups and community scientists throughout British Columbia and Washington state.
“It’s quite the streak,” said Erin Gless, executive director of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, which represents 30 companies on both sides of the international marine boundary. “Knock on wood … the season has been very good for viewing killer whales so far.”
Gless said whale-watch vessels documented several large groups of Bigg’s orcas last month, some containing 20 to 30 individuals and one with 41 animals from various families all travelling together.
Researchers believe the Bigg’s population is growing and thriving on seals, sea lions and porpoises, all of which have been abundant in the Salish Sea.
“This bounty of prey has allowed the Bigg’s killer whale population to grow steadily in recent years,” the whale watch association said in a statement.
According to Bay Cetology, a research organization based on northern Vancouver Island, 14 Bigg’s killer whale calves have been officially added to the population so far this year — eight born in 2024 and six born in recent years but not documented until this year.
The additions bring the coastal Bigg’s killer whale population to about 380 individuals, according to researchers.
In contrast, the southern resident killer whales — which rely on salmon and are endangered — number fewer than 75 individuals.
By law, whale-watch tours are not allowed to focus on southern residents because of the population’s fragility.
Humpback whale sightings are also on the rise and being viewed on a daily basis, according to the whale-watch association.
A few hundred humpbacks come to the Salish Sea each year to feed on small fish and krill before migrating to Mexico, Central America and Hawaii in the winter.
“We’re fortunate to live in a place where the question isn’t ‘Will we see whales?’ but rather, ‘Which whales will we see?’ ” Gless said.
“Nothing in nature is 100 per cent guaranteed, but in the Salish Sea, the chance of seeing whales is really high.”
