September 2, 2023, 10:30 - Orca in Active Pass
What makes orca so popular amongst the different whale species around the world?
With it seems to us that the abundance of Transient orca is on the rise in BC, we are seeing more and more of them during our tour and more unique pods that we don’t typically see travelling in our area. They also seem to be breaking the rules that we typically see them following. The two orca that we saw today are a great example of this, with two members of the T038s travelling away from the rest of the pod.
Usually, the orca will travel within the same family groups, known as matrilines, without much variation, but they have really been switching it up this season. The two we were able to ID today were:
T038C Borrowman (2008)
T038E Hocker (2017)
Sticking to their family groups is part of what builds up the human fascination with orca. The orca symbolizes family bonds and trust in many cultures due to their high emotional intelligence. Their physical features also contribute to this with unique features such as their tall black dorsal fins which will tower out of the water when they’re fully grown. They also have the striking black and white colouration which has spurred on many legends regarding how and why that colouration came to be. They not only have high emotional intelligence, but their intelligence in general is thought to be amongst the highest in the animal kingdom. They are known for their highly coordinated attacks, sneaky tactics, and their ability to teach all of this across generations.
There are local legends speaking of orca as being the Kings of the Ocean, ruling over and controlling other wildlife. Other cultures believe them to be reincarnations of humans who passed away at sea, returning to their families.
Being the most widely distributed mammal on earth, there are countless cultures that have stories about orca, and not always in a positive light. While they are often symbols of protection and family sometimes they get more negative feedback. Their Latin Name: Orcinus Orca, refers to Orcus, who was the Roman god of the underworld, likely named for the sometimes brutal hunting prowess of the orca. Even their common name “Killer Whale” plays into the negative connotations that sometimes follow the orca.
It seems no matter where in the world the orca are found, the people there created stories and legends centred around them. The human fascination with orca continues to this day, and people come from all over the world to have a chance to see these amazing animals.
We were lucky during this trip to get a glimpse of some orca travelling through Active Pass and out into the Strait of Georgia. We also got to see more than just orca, with the lovely Harbour Seals also making an appearance.
Our onboard Marine Naturalists Ella Hillbrecht and Des Poier were able to capture some of these moments spent with the wildlife during the tour, all of which can be viewed below.
T038E Hocker. Photo by Ella Hillbrecht.
T038E Hocker. Photo by Ella Hillbrecht.
T038C Borrowman and T038E Hocker. Photo by Ella Hillbrecht.
T038C Borrowman. Photo by Ella Hillbrecht.
T038E Hocker. Photo by Ella Hillbrecht.
T038C Borrowman behind T038E Hocker. Photo by Ella Hillbrecht.
Harbour Seals hauled out on Miami Islets. Photo by Des Poier.
The Harbour Seals checking us out from the sandy beach. Photo by Des Poier.
Look at all these Little Rock Sausages! Photo by Des Poier.
A stampede into the water. Photo by Des Poier.
Splash! Photo by Des Poier.