July 4, 2023 3:30 - T099s in the Strait of Georgia
On today’s tours, we found the T099s which have been frequenting the area around Nanaimo a lot in recent weeks. The members of the pod sighted were:
T099 Bella ♀ (~1984)
T099B Holly ♀ (2007)
T099C Barakat ♂ (2009)
T099D Puck ♂ (2015)
T099E ♀ (2021)
These orcas were sighted east of Entrance Island which is one of the last lighthouses along our coast which is still kept functioning by the lighthouse keepers. The lighthouse and building were originally established in 1876. Meaning it’s been a functioning lighthouse for over 100 years!
Throughout our time with the pod, they were quite playful and curious about our vessels. Their behaviour ranged from travelling to spy hopping and hunting. Our transient orcas tend to spy hop, meaning stick their front half vertically out of the water and kick their tail to stay vertical to view their surroundings. In this case, they were using hunting tactics to view us! Orcas will also exhibit this behaviour when spying on their prey the harbour seal! The transient orcas can easily eat a seal a day each, they will use echolocation and do a series of clicks and calls to find their prey (sound travels at a speed of 1.5 km/ second underwater). An orca doesn’t have vocal cords like humans do so they use a tissue complex inter-nasal region where they have makeshift lips that they force air through to make vocalizations. The T099s and other members of the Biggs ecotype will eat harbour seals, Steller Sea Lions, California Sea Lions, Harbour Porpoises, Dall’s Porpoises and even Minke Whale and Humpback calves! They can be very efficient hunters and when hunting sea lions, where the males can weigh around 2,500 pounds, they can put up spectacular fights and can easily damage the orca’s fins and dorsal. This creates identifying nicks like the scratch visible at the top of Holly’s dorsal fin!
The harbour seals we saw today tend to stay together in small colonies year-round to avoid being targeted by the Bigg’s orcas. They are our blubbery ocean friends, they can have a fat layer of 2.4 cm and they will bulk up before the winter in order to conserve body heat. Their body shape is also designed to minimize heat loss by having less surface area exposed to the elements! Unlike the Steller and California sea lions the harbour seals’ pelvis is fused to their vertebrae making them have a funny caterpillar-like movement on land. Don’t be fooled they are a lot more agile in the water, and that is why when spooked you can watch them all flop into the ocean!
The falcon nest on the Gabriola bluffs was visible today. These amazing birds usually fly at 25-30 mph but in a proper dive can travel at 200 mph! Some adaptations that allow for this are the aerodynamics of their body which is a teardrop shape and stiff compact wings. These falcons have evolved to have what’s called a tubercle on the inside of their nostril. So that even while being buffeted by the winds their lungs aren’t damaged. They also have a third eyelid to keep their eye from drying out during flight but still allows them to hunt!
Today we got a good look at the bald eagles! There is an eerie visible from the water and we viewed the two chicks which look like they may be fledging soon! Bald eagles will raise their chicks together and both will provide for their young. Eagles form monogamous relationships in order to raise their offspring. A bald eagle takes 5 years to grow into their adult plumage including their signature white head, which both male and female bald eagles get. They as a pair will travel back to the same nest every breeding season and over time their nest can become 6ft long and 6ft wide!
Today we had spectacular sightings of not only the T099s but also our bald eagle chicks, peregrine falcons, cormorants, Steller Sea Lions and Harbour Seals. All the photos taken by staff of these unique animals are available below!
Today’s photos were taken by Des Poier and Ella Hillbrecht.
T099C Barakat. Photo by Des Poier.
T099C Barakat. Photo by Des Poier.
T099D Puck. Photo by Des Poier.
T099C Barakat. Photo by Des Poier.
T099E taking another look around. Photo by Des Poier.
T099B Holly. Photo by Des Poier.
T099E. Photo by Des Poier.
Side profile! Photo by Des Poier.
Cute little T099E’s nose and eye! Photo by Des Poier.
Orca faces are quite textured due to scarring. Photo by Des Poier.
Double spyhop, and a little look around from T099E. Photo by Des Poier.
T099 Bella. Photo by Des Poier.
T099B Holly with her iconic “winged eyeliner” eyepatch visible. Photo by Des Poier.
T099B Holly. Photo by Des Poier.
T099E. Photo by Des Poier.
T099B Holly. Photo by Des Poier.
T099B Holly, and likely T099C Barakat (the nose on the left). Photo by Des Poier.
T099E closely following her mother T099 Bella. Photo by Des Poier.
T099E having a fun time with her brother T099D Puck. Photo by Ella Hillbrecht.
Tail flick from T099E - T099D Puck beside her. Photo by Ella Hillbrecht.
Photo by Des Poier.
Harbour seals lounging around. Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Ella Hillbrecht.
Quite the size difference between our sea lions. Photo by Des Poier.
Look at that tongue! Photo by Des Poier.
Strike a pose! Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Des Poier.
Someone was feeling a little spooked! Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Des Poier.
Being extra dramatic today. Photo by Des Poier.
Stinky sea lion breath! Photo by Des Poier.
A Bald eagle looking out. Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Ella Hillbrecht.
Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Des Poier.
A trio of Double-crested cormorants. Photo by Des Poier.
A juvenile Double-crested cormorant. Photo by Des Poier.
Photo by Des Poier.