Orca Killer Whale
Vancouver Island
Whale Watching Cruises
The Orca killer whale is the largest of the dolphins. Killer whales have a distinct black and white coloring, are intelligent, and are great hunters. Orca whales can be seen regularly on whale watching cruises off Vancouver Island. If you decide to take a whale watching tour while you are on the island, you will have an exciting experience that you will never forget. Orca killer whales are fascinating to watch, and, like wolves, they work together within their community--hunting, playing, socializing and taking care of their young. Orcas live to be 50 to 90 years old, they reach 23 to 32 feet in length and they can weigh up to 6 tons.
You are likely to see an orca whale
while you are on a whale watching cruise.
Where Do Whales Live?
Orca whales live in pods or family groups of up to 40 whales. Scientists believe that killer whales have both resident and transient pod populations. The residents remain in the area year-round, while the transients leave and return. On Vancouver Island, the
Pacific Rim Festival
celebrates the return of the transient orca whales in the spring. Orcas are especially abundant around Vancouver Island, but they can be found in all the oceans, and in both cold and warm waters—from the tropics to the frigid Artic and Antartic regions. Each summer the same individuals appear off the coasts of British Columbia and Washington State. We don’t really know where they go for the rest of the year. But it is known that killer whales can travel up to 100 miles a day.
What Do Whales Eat?
The whales are very social, and their society is matriarchal. They are fascinating to watch. They hunt for food in groups, like wolves. They deliberately teach their young skills. And fishermen tell tales of the orcas’ ability to problem solve and learn new behaviors.
Orca whales live in a matriarchal society
and they are very social.
An orca whale pod can have up to 40 whales, and they work together with other members of the pod, to hunt for their food. Transient whales hunt for large marine mammals like seals, fish, squid and seabirds. Locals eat mostly salmon. The locals tend to be more vocal than the transients, talking to each other during hunts. Salmon have very poor hearing, so the whales can tell each other (using whale sounds) when they find a school of salmon, without the salmon being aware of the whales’ presence. Transients are often silent when hunting because their prey all have good hearing. Sometimes the transients will talk to others, using a single "click", called a cryptic click—rather than the series of clicks used by others. Perhaps because of their different diets, the local orcas are found closer to shore in the Vancouver Island area, than the transients. Orca killer whales are apex predators, which means that they have no natural enemies. They are at the top of the food chain.
What Will You See
on a Whale Watching Cruise?
Whether you go whale watching at Telegraph Cove or Stubbs Island whale watching, you will see orca whales. Here are some things to look for:- A whale jumping out of the water - Orcas leap out of the water in order to go faster. This behavior is known as porpoising.
- Locals swimming with prey for transients - Even though the transient whales eat porpoises, other dolphins, seals and sea lions, the local whales swim with them and get along just fine.
- Whales slapping the water - Orcas frequently slap at the surface of the water.
- Acrobatic moves - You will think that the whales are entertaining you. However, orcas are really courting each other, communicating with each other, dislodging parasites or just playing with each other. The moves are called breaching, spyhopping and tail-slapping.
- Baby orca whales - Since females can live to be 90 years old, there are often 4 generations living together. Keep an eye out for the babies. Young orca females often help older mother whales care for their young. Every 3-10 years, a female gives birth—after a 17 month pregnancy.
- A beached killer whale - While it may appear to be in trouble, it probably isn’t. Transient whales, who eat seals and sea lions, will deliberately beach themselves in order to catch their prey.
- Whale sounds - If you’re lucky, you may hear the rapid clicking sounds of the local whales. They are talking to each other. We really don’t know what they say to each other, but we do know that they are communicating.
The orca killer whale is great fun to observe. Even though most people who visit Vancouver Island have seen the killer whales at least once, most will arrange for a whale watching tour again while they are here. Each whale watching cruise is different, and the whales are such fun to watch!
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