Haleigh | M/V Sea Lion | October 5, 2021 | 12:00 pm
It’s peak Humpback Whale watching season in the Salish Sea! Our Humpbacks are incredibly special because in the 1900’s, they were entirely whaled out of the area. Due to the increase in bait fish over the last couple of decades, more Humpbacks are returning each summer season. Females that return occasionally bring their calves back with them, teaching those young cetaceans that the Salish Sea is a viable feeding ground. With this, we have about 100 Humpback Whales consistently returning each summer and that number is continuing to grow.
Today, we encountered Big Mama, one of the original Humpbacks to reestablish the Salish Sea as a feeding ground. Traveling with her was another Humpback named Bump. Bump is slightly smaller in length and dorsal fin size compared to Big Mama. Bump’s exhalations are also shorter. We watched them travel alongside Saturna Island heading northeast. We also traveled along Spieden island where we saw multiple Bald Eagles and dozens of grazing Sika Deer, Fallow Deer, and Mouflon Sheep. Seeing both Humpback Whales and Bald Eagles, both previously endangered animals, reminds us that our actions as humans really matter to wild animals. We have the power to make better decisions and be better stewards of this land. We can reshape our behaviors and habits to cohabitate with all organisms on the Earth.