Orca

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)
Two orca pods were spotted in both Sooke harbour and basin Wednesday (Contributed: Paul Pudwell - Sooke Whale Watching)

Two orca pods spotted in Sooke harbour in one day

Visit by transient killer whales ‘one of the largest displays’ in recent memory

Two orca pods were spotted in both Sooke harbour and basin Wednesday (Contributed: Paul Pudwell - Sooke Whale Watching)
A pod of orcas joined the 7 Generation Steward Society at the Tyee Spit singing in memorial for the 215 children found in Kamloops. Photo courtesy Cory Cliffe

VIDEO: Whales appear during Indigenous ceremony for 215 children in Campbell River

‘Our ancestors wouldn’t appear if we weren’t doing things in a good way’ — Cory Cliffe

A pod of orcas joined the 7 Generation Steward Society at the Tyee Spit singing in memorial for the 215 children found in Kamloops. Photo courtesy Cory Cliffe
The Royal BC Museum exhibit begins by pulling visitors underwater, immersing them in the orca’s world. (Photo: Shane Lighter/Royal BC Museum)

Royal BC Museum exhibit dives into the world of orcas

Deep inside the belly of the Royal BC Museum’s much-anticipated new exhibit,…

  • May 4, 2021
The Royal BC Museum exhibit begins by pulling visitors underwater, immersing them in the orca’s world. (Photo: Shane Lighter/Royal BC Museum)
Killer whales surface near Sebastion Beach in Lantzville on Sunday, April 11. (Photos courtesy Ella Smiley)

Chainsaw and friends near the beach thrill orca watchers in Lantzville

Jagged-finned orca named Chainsaw and 17 others spent hours off Sebastion Beach this weekend

Killer whales surface near Sebastion Beach in Lantzville on Sunday, April 11. (Photos courtesy Ella Smiley)
Whale watchers spotted a rarely seen orca known as ‘Chainsaw’ in the Haro Strait March 29. (Photo by April Ryan, Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching/PWWA)

VIDEO: Rarely seen orca known as ‘Chainsaw’ spotted off Victoria’s coast

Chainsaw is known for his jagged dorsal fin

Whale watchers spotted a rarely seen orca known as ‘Chainsaw’ in the Haro Strait March 29. (Photo by April Ryan, Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching/PWWA)
Southern resident orca calf J58, born to mother J41 in September 2020, is confirmed to be a female. (Photo by Jeanne Hyde/Center for Whale Research)

It’s a girl: Gender revealed of second orca calf born to J Pod last fall

Six-month-old southern resident orca J58 photographed from shore March 6

Southern resident orca calf J58, born to mother J41 in September 2020, is confirmed to be a female. (Photo by Jeanne Hyde/Center for Whale Research)
Two transient orcas were spotted near the shores of Esquimalt Monday afternoon. (Miller Fernandez/Facebook video)

VIDEO: Orcas spotted close to shore in Esquimalt

Transient brothers give Greater Victoria residents a show

Two transient orcas were spotted near the shores of Esquimalt Monday afternoon. (Miller Fernandez/Facebook video)
Two transient orcas were spotted near the shores of Esquimalt Monday afternoon. (Miller Fernandez/Facebook video)

VIDEO: Orcas spotted close to shore in Esquimalt

Transient brothers give Greater Victoria residents a show

Two transient orcas were spotted near the shores of Esquimalt Monday afternoon. (Miller Fernandez/Facebook video)
Lone orca from a pod that made its way north from Georgia Strait and into Discovery Passage on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021. Photo by Ella Smiley/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Comoxvalleywildlifesightings/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">Comox Valley Wildlife Sightings </a>

Island wildlife viewers thrilled by close view of passing Orca pod

Group gives wildlife photographers a classic opportunity to view them off Campbell River shoreline

Lone orca from a pod that made its way north from Georgia Strait and into Discovery Passage on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021. Photo by Ella Smiley/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Comoxvalleywildlifesightings/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">Comox Valley Wildlife Sightings </a>
Calf L125, seen with mother L86, appears to be in good physical condition. (Photo by Dave Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research)

Researchers confirm new southern resident orca calf

L125 the first baby born to L Pod since January 2019

Calf L125, seen with mother L86, appears to be in good physical condition. (Photo by Dave Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research)
Stand-up paddleboarder Christie Jamieson kneels as a pod of transient orcas put on a dramatic show on Jan. 19 in the Ucluelet Harbour. (Nora O’Malley photo)

UPDATED: Vancouver Island paddle boarder’s orca encounter brings joy and outrage

Woman’s ‘best day’ criticized for disturbing the whales

Stand-up paddleboarder Christie Jamieson kneels as a pod of transient orcas put on a dramatic show on Jan. 19 in the Ucluelet Harbour. (Nora O’Malley photo)
Midsummer (A69) with her days-old baby Ne’nakw, entering the Broughton Archipelago via Fife Sound. (Jared Towers photo)

First orca baby of the year in B.C. named Ne’nakw

Mom and baby looked healthy when spotted this week off northern Vancouver Island

Midsummer (A69) with her days-old baby Ne’nakw, entering the Broughton Archipelago via Fife Sound. (Jared Towers photo)
12-year-old Ella Smiley captured some video of orcas on a sea lion hunt on Nov. 28 at Kitty Coleman Park, just north of Courtenay. Photo by Ella Smiley

VIDEO: Orcas hunt sea lion near Vancouver Island shoreline

Twelve-year-old Ella Smiley, of Comox Valley Wildlife Sightings, caught up with a…

12-year-old Ella Smiley captured some video of orcas on a sea lion hunt on Nov. 28 at Kitty Coleman Park, just north of Courtenay. Photo by Ella Smiley
People will soon be able to vote on the “human” names of the two newly born calves of the Southern Resident killer whale population, J57 and J58. (The Canadian Press/ The Center for Whale Research)

Victoria residents can help choose names for two new baby orcas

Southern Resident killer whales J57, J58 born Sept. 4 and 24

People will soon be able to vote on the “human” names of the two newly born calves of the Southern Resident killer whale population, J57 and J58. (The Canadian Press/ The Center for Whale Research)
New calf, J57, with mom, J35. J35 made international headlines two years ago, when her last calf died shortly after birth and she carried the young whale’s carcass with her for 17 days. Photo by Katie Jones, Center for Whale Research

VIDEO: Superpod of orcas congregate near Vancouver Island

All three Southern Resident killer whale pods (J, K, and L) came together in the same area

New calf, J57, with mom, J35. J35 made international headlines two years ago, when her last calf died shortly after birth and she carried the young whale’s carcass with her for 17 days. Photo by Katie Jones, Center for Whale Research
J47 (left to right), mother J35 and new baby orca J57 were spotted in the Salish Sea on Saturday, Sept. 5. (Sarah McCullagh photo)

‘I definitely cried’: Mother orca that carried her dead calf for 17 days gives birth again

Baby J57 spotted in B.C. waters on Saturday

J47 (left to right), mother J35 and new baby orca J57 were spotted in the Salish Sea on Saturday, Sept. 5. (Sarah McCullagh photo)
Owner Paul Pudwell caught a sight of Tl’uk, the rare white killer whale off Sooke waters in the Juan de Fuca Strait on Tuesday, Aug. 26. (Facebook/Sooke Coastal Explorations)

Rare white orca spotted near Sooke two weeks after hunting in Alaska

Tl’uk, whose Coast Salish name means Moon, is back in B.C. waters

Owner Paul Pudwell caught a sight of Tl’uk, the rare white killer whale off Sooke waters in the Juan de Fuca Strait on Tuesday, Aug. 26. (Facebook/Sooke Coastal Explorations)
VIDEO: Orcas hunt otters off coast of Vancouver Island

VIDEO: Orcas hunt otters off coast of Vancouver Island

Denman Island family records a ‘once in a lifetime’ show from their home

VIDEO: Orcas hunt otters off coast of Vancouver Island