May 9, 2023 - Zephyr is back!
We are finally getting back into Humpback season! Today’s tour encountered Zephyr (BCZ0414) - one of our gorgeous female humpbacks! Today she was busily feeding away around Active Pass. She is likely feasting on a mix of krill, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and small schooling fish such as herring.
Zephyr was first spotted in our waters in 2011, and since then, has become a familiar sight for us. She is easily recognizable by her unique tail flukes, which have distinct black blotches and slashes through them.
Born to mother Divot (BCX1057), both Zephyr and her mother have been regularly seen in our area in the past years.
At the young age of 8, Zephyr gave birth to her first calf in 2019. She had her second calf in 2021 which we frequently saw on our tours that year. We are very fortunate to be able to document our Humpbacks as their lineages continue to grow. Hopefully one day we will be able to watch Zephyr’s great-grandchildren growing up!
Zephyr’s story is more than just about a beautiful growing family. It is also a story of hope and recovery for the humpback whale population in British Columbia. These gentle giants were once hunted to the brink of extinction in the early 20th century, but thanks to a ban on commercial whaling and conservation efforts, their numbers have been steadily increasing in recent years.
In 2022, the Canadian Pacific Humpback Collaboration (CPHC) documented at least 396 unique Humpback Whales in the Salish Sea. In 2017, 293 unique individuals were recorded in the same area. That’s a 103-whale difference in only 5 years!
Unfortunately, Humpback whales continue to face threats such as entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships, and noise pollution from human activities. That is why it is important for all of us to do our part to protect these magnificent creatures and their habitat. If you ever encounter an entangled or injured whale, please report it to the BC Marine Mammal Response Network at 1-800-465-4336!
As we watched Zephyr gracefully swim through the waters off the coast of Vancouver Island, we were reminded of the resilience and beauty of these creatures. We are grateful for the opportunity to witness their recovery and to be a part of the effort to ensure their continued survival.
After departing scene, we continued our search for other wildlife. We spotted sleepy Harbour seals resting on the rocky outcroppings, California sea lions snoozing on the log booms outside Harmac as well as Cormorants drying off at the Gabriola Bluffs.
Photos by Marine Naturalist Aly Kohlman.
Humpback nose!
Zephyr’s beautiful flukes
Happy splashes!
Talk about comfy!
Turkey Vulture landing in the trees
