Orca

FILE - Southern Resident killer whale J50 and her mother, J16, swim off the west coast of Vancouver Island near Port Renfrew, B.C. on Aug. 7, 2018. (Brian Gisborne/Fisheries and Oceans Canada via AP, File)

Researchers: Inbreeding a big problem for endangered orcas

Whales are so inbred that they are dying younger and their population is not recovering

 

A Fisheries and Oceans Canada boat practicing using their oikomi pipes to deter marine life during the fuel spill response to a sunken fishing boat on August 25, 2022. (Courtesy of NOAA Northwest Fishers Science Centre)

Coordinated response helped protect orcas during fuel spill off Victoria: NOAA

U.S. and Canadian agencies worked together to deter orcas from the affected areas

 

Southern resident J-pod orcas were spotted challenging the currents in Dodd Narrows off Joan Point Park around mid-day on Feb. 14. (Submitted photo)

VIDEO: J-pod orcas ride a fast ocean current in a narrow passage off Nanaimo

Runner captures video of southern resident killer whales in Dodds Narrows on Feb. 14

 

Killer whales are shown in Chatham Sound near Prince Rupert, B.C., Friday, June, 22, 2018. The endangered southern resident killer whale population suffered more loss with one of the orcas possibly dying of cancer, says an expert. THE CANADIAN PRESS Jonathan Hayward

B.C. orca mothers pay a higher price for birthing sons than daughters: study

Having a male orca can cut a mother’s future childbearing success in half, researchers found

Killer whales are shown in Chatham Sound near Prince Rupert, B.C., Friday, June, 22, 2018. The endangered southern resident killer whale population suffered more loss with one of the orcas possibly dying of cancer, says an expert. THE CANADIAN PRESS Jonathan Hayward
A UBC study examining orca bodies found between 2006 and 2018 has found a number of concerning chemicals inside them, including in endangered southern resident killer whales (pictured). (Credit: Paul Cottrell, DFO)

Toxic chemicals from B.C.’s sewage are making their way inside orcas, UBC study finds

Compound in toilet paper can influence cognitive function, say researchers

A UBC study examining orca bodies found between 2006 and 2018 has found a number of concerning chemicals inside them, including in endangered southern resident killer whales (pictured). (Credit: Paul Cottrell, DFO)
Orcas at play outside the Oak Bay Beach Hotel on Aug. 28. (Oak Bay Beach Hotel/Instagram)

Orcas at play keep residents watching waters off Oak Bay

Share your images and videos, email editor@oakbaynews.com

Orcas at play outside the Oak Bay Beach Hotel on Aug. 28. (Oak Bay Beach Hotel/Instagram)
Orcas feed amongst the activity of beach-goers at Nanaimo’s Departure Bay on Saturday, Aug. 20. (Photo courtesy Lori Jones)

‘Festival atmosphere’: Orcas feast in Nanaimo’s Departure Bay

Hundreds of people line the beach to watch Bigg’s killer whales

Orcas feed amongst the activity of beach-goers at Nanaimo’s Departure Bay on Saturday, Aug. 20. (Photo courtesy Lori Jones)
Partner response agencies have deployed about 2,100 feet of absorbent booms in the waters between Greater Victoria and San Juan Island since a fishing boat sank and leaked fuel on Aug, 13. (U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest/Twitter)

Fuel-leaking fishing boat falls deeper, complicating response near Victoria

Endangered orcas still headed in opposite direction of spill

Partner response agencies have deployed about 2,100 feet of absorbent booms in the waters between Greater Victoria and San Juan Island since a fishing boat sank and leaked fuel on Aug, 13. (U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest/Twitter)
A young southern resident killer whale (left), shown in a handout photo, spotted swimming in the waters off the west side of Vancouver Island now has a name. The Center for Whale Research based in Washington state says it has dubbed the latest addition to K Pod as K45 after staff spotted it in a tight group with other family members northeast of Race Rocks on Saturday. CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Centre for Whale Research

Researchers name newest baby orca spotted off Vancouver Island

K45 is K Pod’s first baby since 2011

A young southern resident killer whale (left), shown in a handout photo, spotted swimming in the waters off the west side of Vancouver Island now has a name. The Center for Whale Research based in Washington state says it has dubbed the latest addition to K Pod as K45 after staff spotted it in a tight group with other family members northeast of Race Rocks on Saturday. CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Centre for Whale Research
A young southern resident killer whale (left), shown in a handout photo, spotted swimming in the waters off the west side of Vancouver Island now has a name. The Center for Whale Research based in Washington state says it has dubbed the latest addition to K Pod as K45 after staff spotted it in a tight group with other family members northeast of Race Rocks on Saturday. CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Centre for Whale Research

Researchers name newest baby orca spotted in B.C. waters

K45 is K Pod’s first baby since 2011

A young southern resident killer whale (left), shown in a handout photo, spotted swimming in the waters off the west side of Vancouver Island now has a name. The Center for Whale Research based in Washington state says it has dubbed the latest addition to K Pod as K45 after staff spotted it in a tight group with other family members northeast of Race Rocks on Saturday. CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Centre for Whale Research
A southern resident killer whale. Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ocean Wise.

B.C. study finds endangered southern resident killer whales aren’t getting enough to eat

UBC researchers find the orcas haven’t been eating enough since 2018, sea lions partly to blame

A southern resident killer whale. Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ocean Wise.
A new calf was discovered in J-pod on March 1. Researchers have since determined it’s a girl. (Courtesy Center for Whale Research)

J-pod’s newest member is a girl

Whale research centre identifies sex of orca calf

A new calf was discovered in J-pod on March 1. Researchers have since determined it’s a girl. (Courtesy Center for Whale Research)
A screenshot from a YouTube video shot by John Goodell appears to show a very young calf (second from left) swimming alongside members of the southern resident killer whale’s K-pod. (John Goodell/YouTube)

VIDEO: First calf in a decade spotted swimming with K-pod off Oregon coast

YouTube video shows young calf swimming alongside southern resident killer whales

A screenshot from a YouTube video shot by John Goodell appears to show a very young calf (second from left) swimming alongside members of the southern resident killer whale’s K-pod. (John Goodell/YouTube)
Measures have returned to protect southern resident killer whales in BC waters. Black Press Media file photo

Transport Canada introduces added measures to protect southern resident killer whales

The Canadian government is once again putting measures in place to protect…

Measures have returned to protect southern resident killer whales in BC waters. Black Press Media file photo
Five orcas went for a swim near some docked boats in the Comox Marina April 17. Photo by Nicky Smiley/Comox Valley Wildlife Sightings

Video: Orcas swimming in Comox Marina

Five orcas gave those at the Comox Marina an extra special Easter Sunday

Five orcas went for a swim near some docked boats in the Comox Marina April 17. Photo by Nicky Smiley/Comox Valley Wildlife Sightings
A J Pod calf, born Sept. 24, 2020 surfaces next to mother J41. (Talia Goodyear/Orca Spirit Adventures/Pacific Whale Watch Association)

B.C. whale-watching guide fined $10,000 for disturbing killer whales

Charges stem from May 2019 incident near Willow Point in Campbell River

  • Oct 21, 2021
A J Pod calf, born Sept. 24, 2020 surfaces next to mother J41. (Talia Goodyear/Orca Spirit Adventures/Pacific Whale Watch Association)
L47 (Marina) pictured with her youngest male offspring, L115 (Mystic) in 2011. (Courtesy of the Center for Whale Research)

Salish Sea southern resident killer whale population now 73 after matriarch’s death

47-year-old orca Marina leaves three surviving offspring, two in next generation

L47 (Marina) pictured with her youngest male offspring, L115 (Mystic) in 2011. (Courtesy of the Center for Whale Research)
Pregnant southern resident orca J-pod member J36 (Alki) is seen in drone photos (SR3)

Three pregnancies documented among J-pod orca whales

Drone shots from U.S. researchers reveal three swimming moms-to-be

Pregnant southern resident orca J-pod member J36 (Alki) is seen in drone photos (SR3)
A Bigg’s killer whale seemingly defies gravity in the waters near Victoria. Photo by Paul Pudwell / Sooke Coastal Explorations

Nearly 30 Bigg’s orcas observed over long weekend in Salish Sea waters off Victoria

Annual sightings record set for transient orcas

A Bigg’s killer whale seemingly defies gravity in the waters near Victoria. Photo by Paul Pudwell / Sooke Coastal Explorations
Photographed is southern resident killer whale K33, Tika, as it breaches off of San Juan Island on July 27. (Photo courtesy of the Orca Bahavior Institute)

Researchers celebrate return of orcas after ‘unprecedented absence’ from southern Vancouver Island waters

J Pod, other southern resident killer whales spotted off San Juan Island

Photographed is southern resident killer whale K33, Tika, as it breaches off of San Juan Island on July 27. (Photo courtesy of the Orca Bahavior Institute)
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