Olivia Esqueda | M/V Sea Lion | September 25th, 2024 | 12:30pm
We are loving these fall days out on the water. Not only can we see the wildlife that spend the summer months here still hanging around, but we are also starting to see a return of the wildlife that will spend the winter months in these waters. These transitional phases bring in a broader biodiversity within the Salish Sea, making the shoulder seasons some of our favorite times of year to get out on the water.
Today we felt lucky to see an orca so close to San Juan Island! T049C [Nielson] is a male Bigg’s Killer Whale born in 1998. Bigg’s Killer Whales, also called Transient Orcas due to their large range, were named after Dr. Michael Bigg who kicked off the photo ID process we use to identify whales as individuals. This ecotype specializes in marine mammals where over 70% of their diet consists of Harbor Seals, but they will also feed on porpoises, sea lions, baleen whales AND on occasion have even been known to pick off deer or moose swimming island to island!
It was so much fun watching Nielson swim along the shorelines and express curiosity about a few kelp reefs while also seeing Harbor Porpoise, swimming Harbor Seals, and some Harlequin Ducks. Looking forward to finding out what surprises await the rest of our fall season!