CWR Encounter #54 | Bigg’s Killer Whales

EncSummary: After an already successful survey day along the outer coast, one half of the research team departed the large spread of resident killer whales – both Northern and Southern – and headed inshore in search of the remainder of J Clan, the greater L4 subgroup of L Pod. Following a good search, including scanning and several hydrophone deployments, they were approaching Pachena Point when a small group of killer whales was spotted just south of the light.

From a distance, the group had the look of Bigg’s, rather than the sought-after Southern Residents, with their small group size, well-notched fins, and lack of any mature males. Sure enough, the distinctive T041A quickly gave the group of five away as the T041s, a well-known gang along the west coast of Vancouver Island, seen as far east as Victoria and occasionally as far north as Haida Gwaii in northern BC.

The whales appeared to be finishing a relatively large meal, though it was unclear what the target may have been, and after about ten minutes they grouped up and began travelling down the coast, pushing into the surf along the West Coast Trail. All five members of the tri-generational line were present, including the young T041A4, who was first observed in June of last year.