Orca

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

 

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

 

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

 

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)
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 off Comox

Young whale watcher captures the action near Kitty Coleman Park

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)

Vancouver Islanders 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
Orca punting seal spotted by Greater Victoria whale watching company

Orca punting seal spotted by Greater Victoria whale watching company

Five Star Whale Watching captured images of the encounter

Orca punting seal spotted by Greater Victoria whale watching company
Tl’uk, a rare, low-pigment transient orca was spotted in Alaska waters last week. (Courtesy of Stephanie Hayes.)

Rare white orca spotted hunting off shores of Alaska for first time

Tl’uk seems healthy and strong, says researcher

Tl’uk, a rare, low-pigment transient orca was spotted in Alaska waters last week. (Courtesy of Stephanie Hayes.)
A tour group caught a rare visit of Biggs killer whales nearby Victoria’s harbour on Thursday afternoon. (Facebook/Five Star Whale Watching)

VIDEO: Transient orcas spotted near Victoria harbour

Five Star Whale Watching caught video on Thursday afternoon

A tour group caught a rare visit of Biggs killer whales nearby Victoria’s harbour on Thursday afternoon. (Facebook/Five Star Whale Watching)
In this photo, taken July 24, 2018, a dead orca calf is being pushed by her mother off the coast near Victoria. The calf died soon after being born. The mother, known as J35 or Tahlequah, is pregnant again, according to the Sealife Response, Rehabilitation and Research. (Michael Weiss/Center for Whale Research via AP)

Southern resident orca who carried her dead calf is pregnant again

J35 carried her dead calf for 17 days in 2018

In this photo, taken July 24, 2018, a dead orca calf is being pushed by her mother off the coast near Victoria. The calf died soon after being born. The mother, known as J35 or Tahlequah, is pregnant again, according to the Sealife Response, Rehabilitation and Research. (Michael Weiss/Center for Whale Research via AP)
A young killer whale that became entangled in a prawn trap line in the waters off Rocky Point in Nanaimo receives help from an older whale. The juvenile orca eventually managed to free itself. (Photo courtesy Ricarda Brusegard)

Young killer whale untangles itself from trap line off Nanaimo’s Rocky Point

DFO marine mammal rescue unit arrived as whale broke free from prawn trap line

A young killer whale that became entangled in a prawn trap line in the waters off Rocky Point in Nanaimo receives help from an older whale. The juvenile orca eventually managed to free itself. (Photo courtesy Ricarda Brusegard)