When Bigg’s families get together, it’s not just the kids that get a chance to “visit.” Here we have three matriarchs travelling side-by-side. Left to right: Nyx (T117B), Mooyah (T019) and T049B. Do they chit chat? We want to know! #Wild4Whales

Nine-year-old Nebula (T049A5) spyhops and she and her family travel down San Juan Channel. Nebula is the only known female among the seven T049 siblings. We’re hoping we’ll find out soon whether new sibling T049A7 is a girl or boy! #Wild4Whales

Matriarch Eagle (T090) and her 20-year-old son Piglet (T090B) swim leisurely down East Sound. #Wild4Whales

Framed by springtime foliage, a bald eagle scans Spieden Channel for a meal opportunity. #Wild4Whales

This is what happens when three families of Bigg’s killer whales meet! It’s an exciting time to socialize and play, especially for the younger whales. #Wild4Whales

The late afternoon sun lights up the blows of the T090 family in East Sound off Orcas Island. #Wild4Whales

Zig Zag (BCX1193) is back early in the Salish Sea. Like most breeding females, she’s here to rebuild blubber after fasting during migration—and even more so after nursing a calf in 2025. #Wild4Whales

Nahanni (T086A1) spyhops against the late afternoon sun as she and another family finish off a hunt on the north side of Mayne Island. Spyhops are a way to take a quick look around, perhaps to get their bearings or see where other family members are! #Wild4Whales

March 31, morning tour, 4 Ever Wild: You bellowed? A Steller sea lion voices his opinion as we drift by at Race Rocks. There are Stellers of many ages in this grouping. #Wild4Whales

How do grey whales feed? Grey whales feed unlike any other baleen whale—by vacuuming up the seafloor! Rolling onto their side (usually the right), they scoop up sand full of amphipods, worms, and crab larvae, then filter out the water and mud through their baleen. Lunch served! #Wild4Whales

Whale of the Week: Meet Tasu (T002C), seen with her youngest calf Yukon (T002C6) near Oak Bay. Her mother, Florencia (T002), was captured in 1970 during the captivity era—but was secretly released and went on to have Tasu. #Wild4Whales

Mark your calendars! 🌊 World Ocean Day returns to Victoria on May 31 at Fisherman’s Wharf. Free, family-friendly, 20+ conservation groups,
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. More details soon! #Wild4Whales #WorldOceanDay

It’s a good thing this harbour seal is 80 kg of blubber weight, otherwise this gushing current would have washed it off the rocks! #Wild4Whales

Race Rocks is so picturesque we can never resist a photo, especially when there are killer whales in front of it! #Wild4Whales

The pot of gold at the end of this rainbow is matriarch Leland (T036A) as she travelled west with her brood and two other families of Bigg’s killer whales. #Wild4Whales

This common loon is in the final stages of molting from grey winter plumage to its iconic black-and-white look. Soon it’ll head inland for breeding season. #Wild4Whales

Happy Easter from the Salish Sea! Sometimes the wildlife puts on a show you just can't script... even egg-balancing killer whales! #Wild4Whales

Sabio (T124A4) swims with two-year-old Sabine (T124A1A). Mother and calf? Maybe. The calf was first seen with T124A1, but later switched to “auntie” Sabio and hasn’t left. So who’s the real mom? Still a mystery. #Wild4Whales

It looks like bird was on the menu for the bald eagle on the left, while the other is finishing off a fishy snack. Bald eagles eat mainly fish but seabirds, small mammals and sometimes carrion are fair game too. #Wild4Whales

Washington State’s Olympic Mountains provide a perfect backdrop for a female humpback known as Split Fluke (BCX1068). #Wild4Whales

“Rock otter” about to become a sea otter again. With kelp forests not yet regrown, resting spots are limited. On land, those big hind flippers make them adorably clumsy, like walking in scuba fins. #Wild4Whales

Near the end of our tour, we discovered three families of Bigg’s killer whales—the T036As, T086As and T124A4s—travelling east past Race Rocks. Ten whales total! What a delightful way to end a tour! #Wild4Whales

The white pectoral flippers of Split Fluke (BCX1068) frame the snowy peak of Mt. Baker. Humpback pectoral flippers are very long—about one-third the length of the whale itself. In Split Fluke’s case, each of her flippers is about 4.5 metres, or 15 ft! #Wild4Whales

WILDLIFE WONDERS: Does Canada have sea serpents? Yes! Cadborosaurus (“Caddy”) is said to live off BC’s coast near Cadboro Bay. Pointy teeth, mysterious diet, super shy…So shy, in fact, the best chance to spot him? April 1. #Wild4Whales #AprilFools

Ever the opportunist: in a blur of wings and water, a gull swoops in to snag an adult herring that had been injured during a huge and very active baitball. Nothing goes to waste in nature! #Wild4Whales

19-year-old Jude (T049A2) dispersed from his family in 2013 and now travels mostly solo or with temporary companions. On this day he was with the T019s—seen here (smaller fin) alongside Galiano (T019B). #Wild4Whales

Whale Rocks at the south end of San Juan Island is usually a Steller sea lion enclave, but this young California sea lion didn’t get the memo. Any furry pillow will do, thank you! #Wild4Whales

Split Fluke (BCX1068) is lying on her back here, tail-lobbing. Over the last week, she’s been accompanied by two other adult humpbacks—Gretsky and Zig Zag—who have also returned early from the breeding grounds. #Wild4Whales

We think it was very considerate of these two bald eagles to perch on this picturesque bough as we were waiting for killer whales to surface! Non-stop wildlife action! #Wild4Whales

Whale of the Week: Jack (T137A), 24-year-old son of matriarch T137, nicknamed for his breaching (“jumpin’ Jack”). In 2019 he was seen near Victoria with a deep wound and lagging behind, but his family helped feed him as he healed—he’s since made a full recovery. #Wild4Whales