This big male is 26-year-old T135C, one of three outer coastal Bigg’s killer whales that blew into the southern Salish Sea for a quick visit. They’re mainly seen off California, where this guy is known as CA027C. The other whale here is his 14-year-old sister, T135F (CA027F).

Hey you with the fur, paws up where we can see them! No, this sea otter is not being robbed. Sea otter spines are so flexible that when they roll to aerate their fur, they can hold their front paws and back flippers out of the cold water to conserve heat.

BCY1386 gets ready to arch his or her back for a dive, giving us a good look at the bumpy face, the double blowholes and the prominent dorsal fin! #Wild4Whales

Eighteen-year-old male T038C is easy to recognize thanks to that white arrow-shaped birthmark at the base of his dorsal. Several other Bigg’s killer whales have white birthmarks on their dorsal, although all are shaped differently. #Wild4Whales

July 24, morning tour, 4 Ever Wild: It’s that time of year when newly fledged bald eagles are exploring their new world. The dark head and plumage indicate that this bird is a 2026 hatch! #Wild4Whales

We think we should hire Stitch (BCX0519) the humpback to give our kelp talks. Here he’s holding up an entire piece of bull kelp—stipe, blades and even the holdfast—with one of his long pectoral flippers. When whales playfully interact with kelp like this, it’s called kelping.

A young Bigg's killer whale spyhops after a hunt. Orcas show "countershading"—black on top, white below. In many animals this is camouflage to avoid predators; for killer whales, it helps them avoid being seen by their prey! #Wild4Whales

July 12, afternoon tour, 4 Ever Wild: The humpbacks have been especially “breachy” over the last few weeks. We don’t mind at all! #Wild4Whales

The whale in back is familiar—Jack (T137A). But the other two? Rare visitors T135F & mom T135—likely a first-ever Salish Sea sighting, and we documented it! Nearby: T135C. This outer coast Bigg's orca trio usually roams off California, last seen in March near Santa Barbara!

There’s nothing like an epic sunset to cap off a beautiful summer day on the Salish Sea. Sunsets these days are being enhanced by wildfire smoke from the BC Interior, Washington State and Oregon. #Wild4Whales

Wheee! This lively young humpback is the 2025 calf of a female known as Smiley. #Wild4Whales

Sunset + humpback fluke = money shot! #Wild4Whales

This well-known male is Jack (T137A) who has been on his own little swimabout this summer. We don’t know whether he chose to leave his family for a while or accidentally got separated. Either way, it will be interesting to see when and where they finally reunite.

Mom or dad supervises as a young black oystercatcher learns how to use its long bill as a chisel to pry open shellfish. It will be a while before this youngster gets the striking, red-rimmed yellow eyes we see on the adult. #Wild4Whales

So far, the T100s seem to be in the lead for the “most often seen” family of Bigg’s killer whales in this area in 2026. Left to right: matriarch T100 (Hutchins), son T100C (Laurel) and Estrella (T100F). #Wild4Whales

When they’re fully grown, male Steller sea lions like the one on the left here can weigh up to 1,100 kg. If the young Steller on the right is a male, it has some growing to do! #Wild4Whales

This solo traveller is 22-year-old Kodiak (T069E) who did a grand tour of the Esquimalt and Victoria waterfronts—much to the delight of onshore observers—before heading up Haro Strait. #Wild4Whales

Cormorants, like this double-crested one, have wettable feathers and must "hang them out to dry" after diving. They lack barbules on their outer feathers, so water seeps in, reducing buoyancy and helping them dive to 60m or more.

Moms everywhere should relate to this image of a harbour seal pup clambering all over its patient mother—in this case to get to her other side and away from the cold water! #Wild4Whales

These aren't just any two humpbacks spending time together, it's a family reunion. Uncle Split Fin (BCZ0298) on the left, niece Zephyr (BCZ0414) on the right. Their common relative is the legendary Big Mama: Split Fin is her son, Zephyr her granddaughter!

WHALE OF THE WEEK: On the right is 7-year-old Corvus (T065B2), 24 hrs after stranding near Smith Island while chasing a seal. He was stuck on the beach 6 stressful hours before the tide turned and he swam free, reuniting with his family. That's mom Chunk (T065B) on the left!

Trust Indy (T065A5) to liven things up after a hunt. Indy marches to his own drum, travelling solo or connecting with other families temporarily. On this evening, he was travelling with his aunt, Chunk (T065B), and her three offspring. #Wild4Whales

The 2025 calf of Split Fluke is only a year-and-a-half old but has already mastered the art of the breach. Score: A+ #Wild4Whales

We love the combination of rosy pink sunset light and a tall killer whale dorsal fin—in this case one of the T101 brothers. #Wild4Whales

When families get together, everyone loves a party and Bigg’s killer whales are no exception. Breaches like this one are common during these big social gatherings. #Wild4Whales

This is the sea otter version of a kelp wrap! #Wild4Whales #Wild4Otters

This is a minke whale, most often seen at this time of year on the shallow banks to the southeast of Victoria, where they feed on small schooling fish. Minke whales are the second smallest of the baleen whales, reaching lengths of up to 10 metres. #Wild4Whales

Spotted on our sunset tour: grey whale CRC-2702 foraging in the shallows north of Victoria. Documenting sightings like this matters — grey whale numbers have dropped over 50% since 2016, likely tied to Arctic ecosystem shifts from climate change affecting their food supply.

That little speckled ball of fluff between these two gulls tells us it’s baby gull season at the Mandarte Island seabird colony! #Wild4Whales

Thanks to years of research that helps us track individual humpbacks by the pattern on the underside of their flukes, we know this is BCY1068, the 2017 calf of Hydra! #Wild4Whales