Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 8hHave you ever wondered what research permits and permissions are required for our fieldwork? Read the full post at the link below to learn more! www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org/post/what-re... 081
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 07/10/2026September was a busy month in the Salish Sea, with high sightings of Southern Resident, Northern Resident, and Bigg's killer whales! You can read our full caption for the map as well as find answers to common questions here: www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org/sightings-ma... #orcas #whalesky 0238
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 04/10/2026Got to meet the newest member of the T36A1s today! This little one, who has received the designation T36A1B from Bay Cetology, was first documented on September 26th and appears to be a few weeks old. #orcas #killerwhales #whalesky #salishsea 318430
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 02/10/2026TGIF! Here's hoping your weekend brings you moments like this one 🤩 This photo was taken last Sunday as T19C Spouter and T65A3 Amir rounded the north end of Henry Island. With some awesome early autumn weather in the forecast, we can't wait to see what this weekend has in store! #whalesky #orcas 0282
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 29/09/2026Two bulls on Saturday (T49A2 and T49C), and two different bulls on Sunday! We were lucky enough to catch up to the T19s with T65A3 Amir. The group was split into pairs and 19 year-old T65A3 traveling in close association with 25 year-old T19C Spouter for the duration of our encounter. #whalesky 0395
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 27/09/2026LAST CALL on our fundraising auction! Bidding ends tonight at 10 PM. Get in on the bidding wars for some of our hottest items, snag one of the remaining deals, or donate directly to support our work. Help us reach our goal via the link below: www.32auctions.com/OBI2026 161
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 27/09/2026My favorite dynamic duo - T49A2 Jude and his uncle T49C Neilson - were on an absolute rampage this afternoon off Orcas Island. At a minimum, we think they took 4 seals over the course of 50 minutes! 😳 #orcas #salishsea #whalesky 0214
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 26/09/2026With a wide array of gift cards, gift certificates, and gift baskets, our online auction is a great opportunity to support our work while making a purchase you might make anyway for a restaurant, hotel stay, massage, wine-tasting....the list goes on and on! www.32auctions.com/OBI2026 042
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 25/09/2026Support our ongoing work while also snagging yourself the opportunity to get on the water to enjoy the wildlife and beauty of the Salish Sea! Gift certificates are available from four different departure locations and are valid through 2027. Browse and bid here: www.32auctions.com/OBI2026 062
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 24/09/2026Our auction is off to a roaring start, reaching 60% of our goal in the first 24 hours! 🎊 Today we want to highlight some quintessential Seattle experiences available via tickets and gift certificates in our auction. Browse all of these listings and more here: www.32auctions.com/OBI2026 081
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 23/09/2026Our auction is now LIVE and open for bidding! 🎊 Included are rare opportunities to snag merch from our previous limited edition fundraisers: ✽ J-Pod Boy Band tees ✽ Salish Sea Tour crew necks ✽ Indy-pendent hat Browse it all and get your early bids in here: www.32auctions.com/OBI2026 131
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 23/09/2026The T19s are changing their status from San Juan Spring whales to San Juan September whales! 🍂 We've had several encounters with them this month, including this evening right outside Friday Harbor where T19B Galiano did a spyhop next to his brother T19C Spouter. #orcas #whalesky #salishsea 2399
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 22/09/2026Bidding opens in less than 24 hours! Our online auction features dozen of items, including these unique experiences: ★ 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘁𝘀 ★ 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗱𝗲-𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝘂𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 ★ 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗼𝗻-𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗸𝗮 Browse all listings here: www.32auctions.com/OBI2026 030
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 21/09/2026Our online auction features original Southern Resident killer whale artwork inspired by our Orca Action Month project last June! Browse the link to see all listings, including these custom pieces of L25, J19, J36, J40 and J63, and J46. Bidding opens Weds! www.32auctions.com/OBI2026 #whalesky 060
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 21/09/2026In the presence of three more legends this evening 🤩 T19 Nootka, estimated to be over 60 years old, flanked by her sons T19B Galiano and T19C Spouter off the west side of San Juan Island. #orcas #killerwhales #salishsea #whalesky #wssjis 210520
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 20/09/2026OBI's online auction is open for browsing, with bidding open from Wed 9/23 to Sun 9/27. We've curated dozens of unique items including some that hearken back to the 90s: Beanie Babies, Lisa Frank, Free Willy, and more! Create an account to start marking your faves: www.32auctions.com/OBI2026 0105
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 20/09/2026Always an honor to be in the presence of these two legends: T65 Whidbey and her son T63 Chaninsaw, this afternoon in Boundary pass. #orcas #whalesky #salishsea 147560
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 19/09/2026In a lovely moment from J-Pod's visit to the west side of San Juan Island on September 14th, J56 Tofino and J57 Phoenix were swimming in tandem, at times physically in contact with one another. Perhaps allo-kelping? #orcas #southernresidentkillerwhales #salishsea #whalesky 022534
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 15/09/2026We're back with our third and final staff ID challenge, and it's a doozy as we pit Sara against Monika in an SRKW flashcard showdown. Who do you think prevailed? Take a watch and find out! #orcas #whalesky #salishsea 070
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 13/09/2026The T60 brothers have been cruising close to shore off the west side of San Juan Island several times this week, including stopping for a seal hunt off County Park this morning. This beautiful spyhop is from T60E Lynx. They went on to circle Henry Island 4 times and counting this afternoon! #orcas 330740
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 11/09/2026Here is another look at our August orca sightings stats throughout the Salish Sea: - T36/T36Bs were seen every single day in August. - SRKW returned (13 sightings) after being absent entirely in August 2025. - The largest group of Bigg's killer whales (24) was spotted near Race Rocks on 8/22. 0131
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 10/09/2026August is in the books and what a month it was for orca sightings in the Salish Sea! Read how the month played out compared to our predictions here: www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org/sightings-ma... 0193
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 09/09/2026Here's a short video clip highlighting J-Pod's pass in Haro Strait on the morning of September 8th, 2026 🥰 They were in two tight groups moving quickly south. They continued offshore towards the banks and slowly westbound, but we hope they'll be back soon! #orcas #srkw #salishsea #whalesky 0216
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 08/09/2026Watching orcas in the Salish Sea is often a study in contrasts, as it was this morning with J-Pod heading south in Haro Strait while a cargo ship went north. The underwater soundscape is dominated by ferries and shipping traffic, but this time of year a voluntary slow-down effort helps reduce noise 0182
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 07/09/2026A unique quartet of whales made their way down San Juan Channel this morning: T63 Chainsaw T65 Whidbey T65A3 Amir T137A Jack We find these type of social associations - whether or brief like today or longer term - endlessly fascinating. #whalesky #orcas #salishsea #wssjis 1222
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 05/09/2026It has been a lovely start to September in the Salish Sea with all 3 Southern Resident pods already paying a visit. Yesterday, Js came north out of Admiralty and reached San Juan just before it was too dark to see. Here's J62 - already almost 2 years old! - zipping her way up the west side at dusk. 1377
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 03/09/2026Mark your calendars for Sep 23-27 for OBI's online fundraising auction! We have curated a spectacular array of unique items and experiences for you to bid on, including whale watch trips, artwork, gift certificates, and more. We will let you know when the full list is ready to be browsed. 041
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 02/09/2026T137A Jack has been getting a lot of attention thanks to his recent spree of breach fests! He's been traveling mostly with T36 and the T36Bs: his grandmother, aunt, and cousins. The rest of the T137s have been MIA since early June. Will there be a calf with them when they return? 👀 #whalesky 0417
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 01/09/2026AI is an emerging and unavoidable key issue, and we feel it's important to be transparent about how OBI will make decisions around AI usage. Learn more about each of these points and our guiding principles on our newly launched website page here: www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org/what-we-stan... 091
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 31/08/2026It's back to school season, so we thought we would add a little levity to your Monday by checking in with our Bigg's killer whale class of 2026.... Do you agree with these senior superlatives? Which other ones might you add? 😜 #orcas #whalesky #salishsea 1130
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 31/08/2026The T60s are one of the families we've seen the most in our 4 visits to Telegraph Cove. This map shows where and who we've seen them with! As if on cue, they showed in the San Juans as we were preparing this post. The photo is from 8/29 right outside Friday Harbor! #orcas #whalesky 0153
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 30/08/2026A peaceful interlude for your weekend with some clips of the recent visit from Js and Ks 🥰 #southernresidentkillerwhales #orcas #salishsea 1245
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 27/08/2026Having missed their two prior short visits, this was my first day with Southern Residents all summer! J-Pod and K-Pod came in and westside shuffled off San Juan Island today. Ultimately the 42 killer whales went north towards the Strait of Georgia. -MWS #whalesky #orcas #salishsea 0237
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 23/08/2026A cool moment from yesterday morning of T37A2 Inky passing the Washington State Ferries Samish vessel that was parked at the Orcas Island ferry terminal. Imagine being in your car getting ready to unload and having no idea there's a bull orca that close behind you! 😅 #whalesky #salishsea 1276
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 22/08/2026Overheard on the marine radio last night as T137A Jack got some *serious* air in the Strait of Juan de Fuca south of Victoria! 👀 Photo by the talented Alex McIntire! #orcas #killerwhales #salishsea #whalesky 05916
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 21/08/2026Our fall Marine Mammals 101 class is open for registration! This six-week introductory class covers the basics for those new to learning about the orcas, whales, small cetaceans & pinnipeds we commonly see in the Salish Sea. Learn more, sign up, or apply for a scholarship: tinyurl.com/whaleumm101 0123
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 19/08/2026Here are where our 8 Northern Resident orca encounters occurred earlier this month, all within ~12 miles as the crow flies! While there have been changes, it's amazing to see the site fidelity NRKW still show in the summer, similar to how we used to see SRKW consistently in Haro Strait. #whalesky 0114
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 18/08/2026On our last full day out of Telegraph Cove, we caught up with the T73As, a family group of Bigg's we don't get to see very often. Each of the 4 members is named after a sea monster. While they were very cryptic at first, they eventually grouped up and traveled west past Alert Bay. #orcas #whalesky 0174
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 17/08/2026Humpback whales are up there on my list of favorite species to hang out with. Here are a few photo highlights from our recent time off Telegraph Cove. Learn more about humpbacks in our fall class, including an epic weekend on the water to experience them in person. tinyurl.com/obifluking 0334
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 16/08/2026As is our tradition, after wrapping up our fieldwork for the year out of Telegraph Cove, we ended our time on the North Island with evening trip with Prince of Whales Whale Watching. It was a picture perfect night to be on the water complete with a resting line of the A34s. #orcas #whalesky 0304
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 14/08/2026Pacific white-sided dolphins love to buzz Northern Resident killer whales. Yesterday A61 Surge got mobbed in Johnstone Strait, and here's a video of how he reacted! It might have been play, but if we can anthropomorphize for a moment, he looked like a whale equivalent of swatting flies! #orcas 02410
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 13/08/2026Something about the Northern Resident killer whales exudes "togetherness", even more so than with Southern Residents despite them having similar family structures. There's something about the way NRKW punctuate their hours of being spread out and foraging with these quiet moments of close proximity. 0241
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 12/08/2026We've had encounters with the A34s this week and noticed yesterday that A80 Hope has a new minor wound that will likely heal into a notch! Zooming in, the rake marks indicate this was from another orca. These types of injuries are common and heal quickly, but he will have a new identifying feature. 0185
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 11/08/2026The T60s love to skulk the shallows in the Johnstone Strait region, weaving in and out of all the little bays and thick kelp beds. Yesterday some very lucky people were in the right place at the right time to take in this pass from the shores of Hanson Island, BC! #whalesky #orcas 0193
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 10/08/2026Here's another look at our July 2026 orca sightings in the Salish Sea: -Bigg's sightings were higher compared to the previous two years. -On July 6 we confirmed at least 74 Bigg's orcas—our highest single-day total of the year! -T100s were the most commonly seen matriline, documented on 16 days. 192
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 10/08/2026On the evening of August 7th we caught up with the T60s, T69D2, and the rarely seen T165, T166, T166A1, and T259 in Queen Charlotte Strait. They also engaged in a successful Dall's porpoise hunt! It was an encounter we will never forget. #orcas #whalesky 0367
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 09/08/2026Northern Resident killer whale A60 Fife in Johnstone Strait this evening #orcas #whalesky 0315
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 08/08/2026The human impacts on whales are all too real & the list is long. That's why we believe the extreme focus in WA & BC on the detrimental impact of the whale watching industry can sometimes overshadow more pressing issues, ultimately doing a disservice to the whales. Read our post: tinyurl.com/mjra4bbc 2176
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 07/08/2026NRKW A80 Hope in Johnstone Strait this afternoon, seen while out with Seasmoke Whale Watching. We got to see their new hybrid-electric vessel in action, and applaud them for their forward-thinking approach to operating more quietly in the vicinity of whales and other marine life. #whalesky #orcas 27914
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 05/08/2026It was wild coming back from our first trip on the water out of Telegraph Cove after having seen the A23s and running into a group of Bigg's. Even wilder was the very first fin that popped up belonging to T63 Chainsaw! 🤩 0342