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Pacific Whale Watch Association

@pacificwhalewatchassociation.com
1.7K followers 125 following 409 posts

A community of ecotourism professionals with a shared commitment to education, conservation, and responsible wildlife viewing in Washington state and British Columbia. 🐋

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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 02/10/2026
Ironically, we received this news during a meeting touting what Government of Canada is doing to help protect Southern Resident killer whales. 🙄 apnews.com/article/albe...
apnews.com
Canada fast-tracks Pacific oil pipeline to reduce US dependence as Alberta separation vote nears
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has fast-tracked a proposed oil pipeline to the Pacific coast. The move aims to reduce Canada's dependence on the United States and mend relations with Alberta, whe...
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 01/10/2026
The coastal Bigg's orca population has grown yet again! A new calf was seen swimming beside T36A1 "Tierna" a few days ago. Based on visible fetal folds and a still somewhat smooshed (technical term 😉) dorsal fin, the calf is likely only a week or so old. 📷: Bart Rulon, @pugetsoundexpress.com
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 28/09/2026
Where do whales go to get their teeth straightened? The ORCA-dontist. 😅 Okay, okay. That was bad. What's not bad? T49A6 Charlie II's adorable underbite. We love his teeth just the way they are! 📷: April Ryan, @sjiwhalewatch.bsky.social
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 26/09/2026
😂 Once they’ve conquered private yachts, they can move on to private jets.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 25/09/2026
Earlier this week, the T36s and T137A "Jack" were seen sharing a large prey item for several hours. We've not been able to confirm exactly what they were feeding on, but there's speculation it could have been a minke whale. 😬 📷 : Amanda Colbert, Blue Kingdom Tours
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 25/09/2026
As a transboundary organization, we'll say that it's not just the US federal government at fault here. The Canadian government is also doing its part to gut measures in place for protected species, and convos about lethal removal of pinnipeds are happening on both sides of the border.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 24/09/2026
To kill or not to kill? That is the question. This article dives into the debate about whether lethal pinniped removal is the key to saving salmon. Seals & sea lions play a crucial role as both predators *and* prey, and we have major concerns about H.R. 9621. www.eopugetsound.org/article/cong...
eopugetsound.org
Congress debates lethal removal of seals and sea lions in Puget Sound | Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
A proposed amendment to the Marine Mammal Protection Act has renewed a debate over the merits of killing seals and sea lions to protect salmon. Proponents say it will help some endangered salmon popul...
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 23/09/2026
Happy Hump Day! 🐋 Tail slaps are one way humpback whales communicate with each other. Naturalist Katie Read of SpringTide Whale Watching & Eco Tours recently captured this "conversation" between BCY1033 "Merlin" (left) and BCY1222 "Hammer" (right).
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 18/09/2026
Just a mom and her baby — her very large, 48-year-old baby. 🥹 Here we see T65 "Whidbey II" and her son, the famous T63 "Chainsaw", cruising the waters near Vancouver, BC. 📷: Stephanie Spencer, @seabreezewhales.bsky.social
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 16/09/2026
Happy Hump Day! 🐋 This lovely lady is BCZ0409 "Stingray". First documented in 2011, Stingray is a confirmed female, and is known to visit Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in winter. She was seen yesterday off Parksville, BC. Welcome back, Stingray! 📷: Andrina Lindenaar, Ocean EcoVentures
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 14/09/2026
Jack isn't the only acrobatic orca in town! 25-year old male T60C "Yelnats" got some hangtime near Smith Island last week during what appeared to be a post-hunt celebration. 📷: Sam Murphy, Island Adventures Whale Watching
A large male orca jumps out of calm water.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 12/09/2026
Today we're hanging out at the 49th Annual Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. If you're in the neighborhood, be sure to swing by the Marine Science Stage at 4:00 PM to catch our talk on Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea! 🐋⛵️ For more details on the festival, visit: woodenboat.org
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 09/09/2026
Ha! From a distance, this looks like a lunge-feeding humpback with its mouth open, but it's actually two different humpback whales lunging in unison. Happy Hump Day! 🐋 📷: Liam Nelson, @eaglewingtours.bsky.social
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 03/09/2026
Ever feel like you've bitten off more than you can chew? 📷: Lauren Ryan Booth, FRS Clipper Whale Watching
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 31/08/2026
Please save both. 🙏 🐋 🦝
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 31/08/2026
Last week, our post with orca T137A "Jack" got ~1 million views! This week, humpback BCX2020 "Hitchhiker" wants to remind us that they weigh ~3 times as much as Jack, so if you were impressed with his breach, you should *really* be impressed by this. 😉 📷: Julia Adelsheim, Wild Whales Vancouver
A humpback whale jumps far out of the water.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 27/08/2026
⚠️ RARE BIRD ALERT ⚠️ A rare Nazca booby (Sula granti) has been spotted near Washington's Smith Island for three days in a row. This juvenile is a long way from home, as Nazca boobies are normally found from Mexico to Peru. 📷: Tony Tilt, @pugetsoundexpress.com
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 24/08/2026
If you're tired of seeing pictures of Bigg's killer whale T137A "Jack" breaching, well, sorry not sorry! With moves like these, he deserves the attention. 📷: Alex McIntire, @sjiwhalewatch.bsky.social
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 19/08/2026
We agree with the orcas. The Salish Sea is the place to be this summer! 😎 www.kuow.org/animals/2026...
kuow.org
The Salish Sea is the place to be for orcas this summer. What's behind this trend?
The Orca Behavior Institute recorded a record-breaking number of Bigg’s killer whale sightings in the Salish Sea in July.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 18/08/2026
Meet "Flapjack"! Flapjack (T36) was born around 1970, making her ~56 years old. She and her family have made headlines recently with visits to Seattle's Ballard Locks and Fox Island near Gig Harbor. 📷: Amanda Colbert, Blue Kingdom Whale & Wildlife Tours
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 17/08/2026
Another day, another entanglement. Fortunately, this whale was saved by experts from Cascadia Research Collective. This is costly work, and there have been more entanglements than usual this season. If you have any funds to spare, please consider donating: cascadiaresearch.org/20260814mn_e...
cascadiaresearch.org
Real-Time Public Report Helps Cascadia Free Entangled Whale off Westport, Washington - https://cascadiaresearch.org
Entangled humpback whale off Westport, Washington, found and reported by sport fishermen, Sam Azar IV. Cascadia Research Collective, NOAA permit #24359. A rapid response by Cascadia Research Collectiv...
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 14/08/2026
This photo really highlights the size of his fin!
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 14/08/2026
Were you doing some land-based whale watching from Davidson Head on north San Juan Island yesterday morning (Aug. 13)? If so, naturalist Alison Engle of Western Prince Whale Watching captured this special moment as Bigg's killer whale T19C "Spouter" swam by close to shore. 😍
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 13/08/2026
The T19, T49A, and T46B matrilines hosted a "T-party" yesterday afternoon south of the San Juan Islands. Between these three matrilines, there are *five* calves under the age of five, making for lots of playful interaction. 📷: Aly Liu, @sanjuansafaris.bsky.social
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 11/08/2026
At the Victoria Inner Harbour Airport, the odds of your flight being delayed by orcas are low, but never zero.😉 📷: Natalie Corless, Orca Spirit Adventures
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 06/08/2026
What's a kelp bed without a kelp blanket? Captain David of All Aboard Sailing snapped this photo of a sea otter settling in for a snooze in the San Juan Islands. 🦦
A sea otter sleeps in a kelp bed with kelp draped over it like a blanket.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 05/08/2026
Happy Hump Day! 🐋 Meet BCY0842 "Wiley". Wiley was first seen off Tofino, BC in Aug. 2009, and has been visiting the Salish Sea since at least 2018. In Feb. 2020, a team with Cascadia Research Collective photographed Wiley off the island of Kauaʻi. 📷: Mollie Cameron, @whalewatchingbc.bsky.social
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 03/08/2026
Most days, we find whales. Some days, the whales find us! Check out this footage taken a few days ago as a group of Bigg's killer whales swam directly under San Juan Cruises' DOCKED vessel in Bellingham, WA. 😲 🎥: Avery Harper, San Juan Cruises
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 28/07/2026
Big thanks to naturalist Stella & captain Ethan of White Rock Sea Tours for retrieving this Mylar balloon. Mylar balloons don't biodegrade, and even balloons marketed as "biodegradable latex" can stay intact for months or years, posing a risk to wildlife. Please choose other ways to celebrate. 🚫🎈
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 27/07/2026
Telegraph Cove, BC is the PWWA's northernmost departure location. In summer, it's one of the best places to view Northern Resident orcas, like the A34s & A50s seen here. Unlike Southern Residents, Northern Residents aren't endangered, with ~375 individuals in the population. 📷: Prince of Whales
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 21/07/2026
Here’s a great write-up from a few years ago examining the power of nicknames. www.cascadepbs.org/environment/...
cascadepbs.org
From Big Mama to Hy’Shqa, how Northwest whales get their names
Our guide to whale nomenclature can help you follow the trail of numbers and nicknames.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 21/07/2026
There’s certainly no obligation to refer to any whale by any nickname. Nicknames are mostly a tool that educators use to get people more invested in protecting local whales. People care more about “Stanley” than they do T123A. They care more about “Big Mama” than they do BCY0324, etc.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 21/07/2026
Ha. He was named in 2011 by the Vancouver Aquarium in honor of the Stanley Cup as well as nearby Stanley Park.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 21/07/2026
There are no confirmed attacks on humans *in the wild*. There have been attacks, including fatal ones, in captivity, but animals in captivity are obviously dealing with unnatural conditions.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 20/07/2026
Stan the Man! It's incredible to see any orca breach, but when it's a large male like T123A "Stanley", it's even more impressive. 📷: Clare Martin, Island Adventures Whale Watching
A large male orca breaching.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 17/07/2026
Only a few days left to snag your annual fundraising tee from @orcabehaviorinstitute.org! This year's shirt features gorgeous artwork by muralist Yaz of Urban ArtWorks. Order by Sunday to support OBI's ongoing research, education, and advocacy. Limited run, so if you snooze, you lose!
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 17/07/2026
"Baby face, you've got the cutest little baby face." 🎶 This baby face belongs to Ghost's 2026 calf. We were surprised Ghost had a calf this year as she had one in 2025. Humpbacks often wait 2-3 years between calves, but can give birth every year. 📷: Katie Read, SpringTide Whale Watching & Eco Tours
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 17/07/2026
Mosttttttttttt of the time... 😬 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Infanticide in a mammal-eating killer whale population - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Infanticide in a mammal-eating killer whale population
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 14/07/2026
It's World Orca Day! We're so fortunate to live and work among these apex predators. Each day we strive to not only protect them ourselves, but to inspire our guests to appreciate and protect them as well. 📷: Jacob Alexander, Wild Whales Vancouver
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 11/07/2026
According to the IWC, 300,000 *cetaceans* are killed each year as the result of fisheries interactions. Not sure the number of marine mammals. iwc.int/management-a...
iwc.int
Bycatch & Entanglement of cetaceans in fishing gear
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 10/07/2026
Sadly, peak season for many fisheries directly overlaps with peak season for whales in those areas. 😩 Monterey Bay, CA is one of the places making good progress on this issue, and this year they got cleared to fish with pop-up gear. Here's a good write-up about it: usa.oceana.org/blog/a-win-w...
usa.oceana.org
A Win-Win for Fishing and Wildlife: On-Demand Gear Hits the Big Time in California
California has authorized innovative on-demand fishing gear for commercial Dungeness crab fishing that will help extend the crab fishing season while preventing whales and sea turtles from becoming en...
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 10/07/2026
🤣
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 10/07/2026
In our experience, many fishers are open to developing and using technology that will reduce entanglements (they don't want to lose their gear or harm whales either!), but it can be expensive, and in most places, such technology hasn't been legally approved for use yet. 🫤
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 10/07/2026
Ha. She was given the name back in 2016 because as a baby she loved to "pop up" and breach. In 2023 she had a calf of her own, affectionately nicknamed "Strudel". 😅
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 10/07/2026
@helloohart.bsky.social and @mushroomprince.bsky.social, wanted to clarify a couple of things. Entanglement is an issue with both commercial gear *and* recreational gear. This is not only a commercial fishing issue. Also, often the gear entangling whales was set properly and legally, not abandoned.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 10/07/2026
11 years of this tradition already!? Amazing!
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 10/07/2026
A Mr. Rogers reference!!!! 🥹
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 10/07/2026
GOOD NEWS ALERT: After nearly a week entangled in fishing gear, beloved humpback "Pop Tart" is free! Gratitude to DFO's Marine Mammal Rescue Unit and the many PWWA members who went above and beyond for Pop Tart over the last several days. 👇 www.pacificwhalewatchassociation.com/media/2026/7...
pacificwhalewatchassociation.com
Humpback Whale “Pop Tart” Free After Week-Long Entanglement — Pacific Whale Watch Association
Renowned Humpback Whale “Pop Tart” Free After Week-Long Entanglement PWWA, DFO Join Forces Toward Successful Outcome for Entangled Whale VICTORIA, BC and SEATTLE, WA - July 10, 2026 - The Pacif...
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 08/07/2026
Happy Hump Day! 🐋 Humpback whales and sea lions both love a good fish dinner. Last week, lucky guests with Seabreeze Adventures got to watch four humpbacks and ~10 Steller sea lions hunting together in the Strait of Georgia. 📷: Uwe Zimmermann, @seabreezewhales.bsky.social
Sea lion and humpback whale swimming together. Sea lion and humpback whale swimming together. Sea lion and humpback whale swimming together.
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Pacific Whale Watch Association @pacificwhalewatchassociation.com · 07/07/2026
Pull up a chair - literally! Captain Brock and naturalist Brooke of Outer Island Excursions retrieved this plastic chair from the Salish Sea during a recent whale watching tour.
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