September 13, 2023, 3:30 - Europa and her calf frolic near Gabriola
While watching a full-grown humpback (or several) is always awe-inspiring, getting to spend time with the babies of the Salish Sea is such a special experience. That’s exactly the experience we got this afternoon, getting to hang out with Humpback mom Europa (BCX0854) and her 2023 calf. Orca and Humpback babies alike are rambunctious little things, very much like human children, and today was no exception. While mom took some time to feed, this little calf decided it was playtime, and put on a spectacular dance for our guests! We were treated to breaching, tail slaps and other playful behaviour from the little one as mom hung out close by. These moments are usually quick and unexpected, and unfortunately, we weren’t able to capture any clear shots of this kiddo! I guess guests will have to just fondly remember their time with this playful little calf.
When a Humpback calf is born, it’s not such a little baby! Europa’s calf would have been approximately 10 feet and 1 ton at birth. Humpback calves require a lot of care, and many of our humpbacks are supermoms! Europa’s calf will stay with her and nurse for 5 months to 1 year. This milk is about 60% fat and allows Europa’s little baby to grow to be just as big as she is one day! A nursing Humpback calf can gain more than 100 pounds per day and grow around 1.5 feet per month. Europa’s calf will stay pinned to her side for at least 6 months but could stick around up to a year. Typically, humpbacks have calves every 2-3 years once they are mature. The typical gestation time of a humpback is approximately 11 months. Since little ones stay with their moms for up to a year, this means that humpbacks may be pregnant with their next while still nursing their first! This could be the case with our momma Europa, as her last calf was born in 2021. But she also had one in 2019, and 2017, proving how good of a mom she is. However, mom isn’t all she is, as her oldest BCX1774 Seabird has also brought back a calf this year. Europa is a grandma! How exciting!
Our Humpbacks come to us to feed from their breeding grounds in Hawaii, Mexico and Central America. Europa and calf are coming here all the way from Hawaii! A baby will always make the trip here with mom but may return to the breeding grounds on their own. It is wise to stick by mom’s side as a young Humpback as there are plenty of dangers in the ocean. Let’s hope we see this little one back with us again next year!
After hanging out with these two off Gabriola, we headed out to Stinky Rocks to check out some other wildlife. The stellar Sea lions always dazzle with their impressive size and loud roars. We got see see some sweet little Harbour Seas and a ton of different bird species, including Gulls, Harlequin Ducks, Surfbirds, and Great Blue Herons. We then headed to the Harmac log booms to check out our second sea lion species, the California Sea Lions. We finished off the tour with a stop at the Gabriola Bluffs to visit the Cormorants. What a great end to a great day!
Photos taken by Marine Naturalist Vanessa Vereschahen.
Little calf surfaces beside mom Europa. What a size difference!
A tiny little dorsal for our tiny kiddo.
The 2023 calves fluke is very white, a trait commonly seen in younger animals.
Europa goes on a dive and shows us her fluke.
On a dive!
Check out the barnacles hanging off Europa’s flukes.
A beautiful shot of Mount Baker on the horizon.
A gull hangs out with a sweet Harbour Sea.
A Harbour Sea eyes us up as they glide through the water.
A female Harlequin Duck hangs out on the rocks.
A flock of Surfbirds catch some sunshine.
A Great Blue Heron takes it all in.
A large male Stellar Sea lion with some smaller females/juveniles.
A California Sea Lion checks us out.
These guys are pretty dextrous!
A cormorant spreads it’s wings to dry off.
A Cormorant Line up!