A trio of unfamiliar killer whales seen in Vancouver Harbour has piqued the interest of marine experts, who have not previously recorded this specific group in British Columbia waters. Believed to belong to an Alaskan population, the whales have been observed swimming between the Lions Gate Bridge and the Second Narrows Bridge. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is currently conducting a study on these unique whales to gain insights into their behavior.
The DFO’s scientists, based in Nanaimo, British Columbia, have been closely monitoring the whales as part of their assessment. According to Jared Towers, executive director of Bay Cetology, the majority of orcas typically seen in the Salish Sea are well-known transient orcas, also known as Bigg’s killer whales. However, these three recently spotted orcas do not fit into the usual West Coast Transients category, indicating they possess distinct genetics and vocalizations.
Each killer whale has unique features that allow researchers to identify and track them over time. Towers explained that these specific whales had never been documented in BC until now, with a past sighting near Anchorage, Alaska, matching the current trio. The presence of distinctive scars near their dorsal fins suggests they may be oceanic whales, possibly originating from deep open waters given the type of shark bites observed on them.
Although the reason for their presence in Vancouver remains unclear, experts are intrigued by the unusual sighting, noting that such encounters with oceanic killer whales close to shore are extremely rare. Marine naturalists like Aly Kohlman suggest that more time is needed to determine the exact population to which these whales belong.
The behavior of the whales, lingering in the busy harbor for several days, has raised concerns among researchers. Kohlman mentioned that this prolonged stay in a high-traffic waterway is atypical for transient killer whales, hinting at a potential psychological entrapment due to the unfamiliar and noisy surroundings. While there have been no recent sightings of the orcas, researchers emphasize the importance of respecting their space and adhering to the regulations that mandate a safe distance of 400 meters from killer whales in southern B.C. coastal waters.
