It was a fantastically sunny and calm day as we made our way from the dock towards the Georgia Strait. Conditions were perfect as we cruised over to the Sunshine Coast, where we were fortunate to encounter the T124D matriline sharing a meal together. This family includes the following members:

T124D Field ♀ (1996)
T124D1 Salish II (2014)
T124D3 (2022)
T124D4 (2024)

When we arrived, the whales had just finished hunting a sea lion; likely a Steller sea lion based on the location. This was excellent timing, as much of a hunt takes place underwater, making it rare to see the aftermath so clearly. We got to see this young family excitedly share their kill among the group. Food sharing is an important part of Orca culture, and all members of the pod get to have a meal. When there are young calves present, such as in this pod, older members of the pod will prolong the hunt so that younger members can learn and practice their hunting skills. This means that once the baby is old enough to be weaned from mom, they can participate in the family hunt. While it can be difficult to know for certain if hunts are successful or not, today was not one of those days! We were able to get photos of the matriarch Field with intestines draped over her dorsal fin, clearly enjoying her lunch. After enjoying a good meal, we started to see some excited behaviour from these guys! After feeding, the pod became playful and surface-active, which is common for Bigg’s killer whales with full bellies. Young T124D4 treated us to several spectacular breaches, leaping fully out of the water!

Field has proven that she is an excellent matriarch for her small family. A Steller sea lion is no easy prey item, and to successfully take one down takes skill, coordination and patience. Steller sea lion females can grow to 1000 pounds, and males can reach weights of over 2500 pounds! To put this into perspective, a female orca is at its largest around 6000 pounds, so she is successfully hunting an animal that can be almost half her body weight! On top of the large weight of the sea lion, they are also agile predators with large teeth. Bigg’s killer whales’ preference for seals and sea lions is often the reason we have so many nicks and notches in our whales’ dorsal fins. These notches never go away, and we can use them to identify individual animals throughout their lifetime.

If you look through our photos, you may also notice rake marks, particularly on T124D3. These are tooth marks left by other orcas. While they can leave permanent scars, they are a normal part of dolphin culture (orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family). Rake marks can result from play, dominance displays, or aggression, especially between males. In some species, like Risso’s dolphins, these marks become so prominent over time that their skin turns white with age. With orcas, rake marks don't lighten their skin, but they do help us recognize individuals, especially when they appear on the saddle patch behind the dorsal fin.

If hanging out with this wonderful family wasn’t incredible enough, we also got to hang out with a variety of other wildlife, including Steller sea lions (living ones), Harbour seals, Cormorants and even a last-minute surprise from a river otter as we pulled into the dock! You can check out the photos from our encounter below!

All photos taken by naturalist Aly Kohlman.

April 30, 2025 - T124Ds sharing a meal