55,000 lbs. 50 feet long. These gentle giants are seasonal visitors to the Salish Sea and we are enjoying every moment!
Humpbacks can lose around one third of their body weight or more after their winter migration. When they first return, food is their primary focus.
The last week has been a very exciting one for us, with multiple daily Humpback whale sightings in multiple locations. Several females are returning from their winter calving with new babies, while other individuals are coming in for their first feast before they all continue up to Alaska for their summer feeding, which completes their 3,000-mile one-way journey.
Humpback whales are baleen whales, which primarily eat krill, small fish, plankton and mollusks. These tail flashes are called "sounding," which is done before a deep feeding dive.
From the mid-1800's to the 1960's Humpback whales were harvested in commercial whaling operations throughout the Salish Sea. The area was eventually abandoned by them, until cautious individuals wandered through in the late 1990's. It wasn't until 2003 when the Humpback whale fondly known as "Big Mama" came in, decided it was safe, and began consistently returning. She was sure to tell all her friends, and now Humpback numbers in the Salish Sea are on an upward trend!
Image taken from Ocean Watch B.C. Coast Edition. If data from more recent years was compiled, it would be noted that the upward trend for Humpbacks in the Salish Sea continues.
"Big Mama" Whale ID# BCY0324, with the seventh calf she's returned here with. May 2022.
Photos by Liberty
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