While this is indeed exciting news, it is by no means the first time a white killer whale has been spotted in the wild. Unfortunately most do not survive very long due to a genetic defect that causes the white coloration in the first place. In March of 1970, a female white killer was captured along with five other whales in Pedder Bay at the south end of Vancouver Island. “Chimo” was moved to Sealand, an Aquarium in Oak Bay, where she lived a little over two years before she died of pneumonia in October 1972. Chimo suffered from Chediak-Higashi syndrome, a recessively-inherited trait causing recurring infection and fevers that also affects mice, mink, Hereford cattle, humans and killer whales. It was later discovered that Chimo belonged to the T2 group of transient killer whales, and in fact, years before her capture another white orca dubbed “Alice” was spotted in what is suspected to be the same pod. Alice was never captured and vanished in the 1960s.

In March of 2008, an all-white resident-type male killer whale was spotted off western Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. This whale is not a true albino because it had signs of darker pigmentation on his body, but similar to Iceberg, he whale appeared to be healthy and mature.

In December of 2009, a grey-white transient calf was spotted near the Victoria, BC waterfront along with its mother T68C.

Killer whales may be the only known cetacean species to suffer from Chediak-Higashi syndrome, however other whale species have been observed in the wild with striking white coloration.

- A white humpback whale “Migaloo” has been spotted many times over the years along Australia’s Queensland coast as recently as October 2011. Migaloo is an adult male and suspected to be an albino, but without definitive evidence for the moment he is known as a “hypo-pigmented” humpback.

- A white harbour porpoise “Casper” has been spotted along the Maine coastline. Despite his/her lack of camouflage, it seems to have survived predation and was spotted in September 2011. Casper is not a true albino.

- In May 2011 a white harbour porpoise was spotted in San Francisco Bay area.

- In Flinder’s Bay West Australia a partially-white right whale calf has also been spotted

- An albino Franciscana dolphin calf (also known as the La Plata dolphin) was sighted by researchers along the coast of Santa Catarina state in Brazil. Franciscana dolphins are an endangered species.

Your sightings are important! Whether you spot the next “Iceberg” or more likely a normal-colored cetacean, the BC Cetacean Sightings Network would like to hear about it! Give us a call at 1-866-I-SAW-ONE, send us an email at sightings@vanaqua.org, or fill out our online sightings form here.

Do you know what to do if you come across a marine mammal in distress or even dead?
By Lisa Spaven, Marine Mammal Response Biologist, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Seeing a whale swimming in the wild or hearing sea lions bark on a nearshore rock can be an exhilerating and awe-inspiring experience.  But sometimes a marine mammal encounter can leave you with a sense of concern, saddness or unresolved questions.  When a whale is found entangled in marine debris, a dolphin is stranded out of the water, a sea otter is shot, or a sea lion is found dead, we wonder what can we do to help or how can we prevent this from happening again.

It’s simple. The most important and helpful thing you can do is report it. 

The BC Marine Mammal Response Network is interested in any and all reports of marine mammals and sea turtles that are found dead, injured, sick or otherwise unhealthy or out of their habitat.  No-one can be everywhere all the time, especially with as much coastline as we enjoy here in British Columbia, and the BCMMRN relies on your eyes and ears to learn valuable information about the various threats to marine mammals thoughout BC waters. 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada along with various researchers, governement agencies, marine conservation and outreach groups and a few hundred volunteer responders,  make up the BC Marine Mammal Response Network.  The BCMMRN works coast-wide to investigate reports of marine mammal injury, illness and mortality and where possible, assist animals in distress.

Sometines animals die or are in distress from natural causes, but in other cases marine mammals are threatened by entanglement in fishing gear and debris, vessel strikes, toxic contamination, lack of available food, physical and noise harassment.  Of the total 34 species of marine mammals and sea turtles known to BC waters, 14 populations are designated at risk under the Species At Rick Act.  As such, DFO is mandated to work towards the recovery of these species.  Without the knowledge of what is threatening their survival there is little hope in resolving or minimizing the issue in hopes of recovering the population. Your reports make this possible.  Check out the national 2010-2011 Marine Mammal Response Program report here.

So, the next time you come across a marine mammal that is dead or in distress, please help by calling 1-800-465-4336 as soon as possible.  If you spot a live and healthy whale, dolphin or porpoise, please report it to the BC Cetacean Sightigns Network here.

What’s Happening with Harbour Porpoise?

By Carla Crossman, MSc Candidate, UBC Department of Zoology

While harbour porpoises may not win any awards for being the most exciting species to observe in the wild, they are still one of the most abundant cetaceans on our coastline. Unfortunately, harbour porpoises in BC have been overlooked by many researchers and as a result, we know very little about them.  Thanks to many people who report sightings to the BC Cetacean Sightings Network, we have a good idea about where they are found and concentrated, however we still don’t know if mixing of individuals goes on between these concentrated groups.  This question is what started my UBC Masters research.

With most cetaceans, we can use photo identification of unique scars or coloration patterns to identify and track individuals, and this is how we track and identify most of the killer whales and humpback whales in BC.  With larger whales, such as gray whales, we can attach satellite tags that can give us GPS positions for individuals (see news post from earlier this year: West Meets East Pacific).  Whereas harbour porpoises are lacking characteristic markings and are quite evasive with boats, these typical techniques cannot be appropriately applied.

I am implementing a very different and non-invasive method to answer this question.  Using skin samples from harbour porpoises that strand along the coast, I collect DNA to look at similarities in the genetic code of individuals.  If individuals are closely related to each other, they will have a very similar genetic code, while individuals that are distantly related will have divergent genetic codes. Once we know how related everyone is, we can compare this data to the stranding locations and a map and see if individuals that are found close to each other are more closely related than individuals found far apart.

Some of the results to date were very surprising (and exciting)!  We already knew there are harbour porpoise x Dall’s porpoise hybrids in southern BC, but it appears there are probably many more than we originally believed. A few known harbour porpoise samples had Dall’s porpoise DNA, and at least one Dall’s porpoise had harbour porpoise DNA!  Unlike some of the hybrids seen in the wild that can be rather distinct, these hybrids looked just like one of the parental species. Without the genetic data, we would have no way of knowing these were hybrids. Until now we thought all hybrids had harbour porpoise fathers and Dall’s porpoise mothers, but there is now evidence for crosses in both directions!

My research is filling in many knowledge gaps about one of our most common, yet poorly understood cetaceans, and there are many ways you can help and further this research! By reporting all sightings of harbour porpoises to the B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network and reporting any stranded or distressed cetaceans to the Marine Mammal Strandings Network, I will be able to use this additional data to expand my research and continue to help resolve these questions. Report your sighting in ‘real time’ by calling 1.866.I.SAW.ONE or reporting them online here.  Sightings of stranded or distressed animals can be reported directly to the BC Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 1-800-465-4336.

Being Blue Whale Wise
By Anuradha Rao

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen blue whales,” said one of the researchers. After all, it had been a couple of hours. How spoiled we are, I thought. A month before, seeing a blue whale was only a far-fetched dream. That day, I saw more than twenty. Their home? Sri Lanka.

The previous day, I had taken a whale-watching trip with Raja and the Whales, an outfit that I had read was eco-friendly and respectful to the whales. That’s when I saw my first blue whale. A spout some eight metres high from two huge blowholes, a long curve of back before a relatively small dorsal fin, then more and more whale, before the largest animal ever to have lived on Earth vanished into the deep. What a gift.

The number of blue whales in the world has been greatly reduced by commercial whaling. Their global population size is unknown and they are listed as Endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

Most blue whales, including those that can be found in Canada’s Pacific waters, migrate between higher latitudes in summer and lower latitudes in winter. The waters off the south coast of Sri Lanka are special, in that they house a resident population of blue whales.

While Raja, the captain of our vessel, described to his passengers the whales’ behaviour, explained how they can be disturbed, and kept his distance from them, other boats charged the animals, forcing them to dive prematurely and granting their customers only a fleeting glimpse. I was impressed with the passion Raja and his crew had for the whales and the health of the ocean.

A former fisherman hailing from a fishing family, Raja didn’t agree with the unsustainable methods he had been forced to use, some of which caught several dolphins as by-catch in a single net. He preferred to watch whales. He left fishing, built a boat and became one of the first whale-watching operators in the village of Mirissa, now a burgeoning tourism spot. He has since become an advocate for responsible whale watching and conservation.

Raja and others want a marine protected area to be established in the region used by blue and sperm whales. They also want shipping lanes to be shifted away from the area.

The day after my tourist trip, Raja was turning down customers and taking his boat out for a visual and acoustic research survey. They let me volunteer on that survey. In addition to the many blue whales, we saw a fin whale, sea turtle, and spinner and Risso’s dolphins.

For me, choosing a responsible whale watching company paid off: the trip of a lifetime, a clear conscience and support for people who are doing the right thing.

Blue whales and you:
- Feel like traveling? Do you want to learn about blue whales in Sri Lanka? Or would you like to share your knowledge about marine mammals or marine conservation? Raja welcomes volunteers. You can reach him at: RajaAndTheWhales@gmail.com
- As a boater, follow the Be Whale Wise guidelines to minimize disturbance to all marine mammals.
- As a customer on a whale-watching boat, encourage your captain to follow the Be Whale Wise guidelines, to benefit both your experience and the whales’ well-being.

Learn more:
Branch, T.A., et al. 2007. Past and present distribution, densities and movements of blue whales Balaenoptera musculus in the Southern Hemisphere and northern Indian Ocean. Mammal Review 37(2): 116-175.
Raja and the Whales
The Sri Lankan Blue Whale Project
Stafford, K.M., et al. 2011. Seasonal detection of three types of “pygmy” blue whale calls in the Indian Ocean. Marine Mammal Science 27(4): 828-840.

Feb 7, 2012-   The Haven Resort- Gabriola Island. Hosted Silva Bay Yacht Club. 7pm

Feb 11, 2012- The Gatehouse Theatre- Port McNeill. Hosted by the Young Naturalist Club of Northern Vancouver Island.  1pm

Feb 13, 2012- The Quatse Salmon Centre- Port Hardy.  7pm

Feb 15, 2012- The Old Fire Hall- Sointula.  Hosted by the Living Oceans Society. 7pm

Feb 17, 2012- St. Mary’s Anglican Church Hall, Nanoose Bay.  Hosted by the Nanoose Bay Probus Club. 9:30am

Northern and southern resident killer whales are listed as ‘Threatened’ and ‘Endangered’ respectively, and a recovery strategy for these populations is posted on the SARA National Registry: http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/species/speciesDetails_e.cfm?sid=699

The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada is required to develop a recovery strategy and action plan for all threatened or endangered aquatic species listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).  According to SARA, an Action Plan “outlines the projects or activities required to meet the goals and objectives outlined in the recovery strategy. This includes information on the species habitat, protection measures, and an evaluation of the socio-economic costs and benefits. It is the second part of the two-part recovery planning process and is used to implement the projects or activities to improve the species status.”

If you would like to know more about the northern and southern resident killer whale populations and would like to provide comments, feedback or input into the draft ‘actions’ supporting recovery of these populations, make sure to attend one of the upcoming meetings:

Public Consultations: (6:00pm-9:00pm)

February 2, 2012               Victoria, BC                       The Maritime Museum of BC
February 9, 2012               Vancouver, BC                  Vancouver Maritime Museum
February 23, 2012             Port Hardy, BC                 Quarterdeck Inn Marina Resort

First Nations Consultations: (10:00am-2:00pm)

February 3, 2012              Nanaimo, BC                      Best Western Dorchester Hotel
February 7, 2012              Campbell River, BC           Campbell River Lodge
February 10, 2012            Mission, BC                         Location TBD
February 16, 2012            Kamloops, BC                     Tentative
February 17, 2012            Quesnel, BC                         Tentative

Please see http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/consultation/sara-lep/index-eng.htm for further information.

November 19, 2011- Marine Mammal Symposium.  9:30 am-5pm.  UBC Fisheries Centre, Vancouver

December 2, 2011- Sunshine Coast Natural History Society .  7pm.  Arts Centre, Sechelt

Feb 7, 2012- Silva Bay Yacht Club.  Gabriola Island

February 17, 2012- Nanoose Bay Probus Club. 9:30am.  St. Mary’s Anglican Church Hall, Nanoose Bay.

Upon closer investigation, researchers from A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS), Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute, and NMFS were able to determine that Flex was photographed off Vancouver Island in 2008.  They also discovered 4 individuals from the Western (Sakhalin Island) population in the famous San Ignacio lagoon in Baja this past winter.  These discoveries have researchers reconsidering widely-accepted ideas of two geographically separate populations.  Still, distinct DNA and nuclear genetics do support the idea that the two populations are different.  A previous sighting of an individual from this population along the coast of Japan may indicate that some individuals do stay in the Western Pacific.

With more questions than answers, the research team returned to Sakhalin Island this year to tag more whales. Six whales were tagged in the fall but only two tags continued to transmit as those animals crossed the Pacific in the direction of North America.  Unfortunately, the tag on one of the animals (nicknamed ‘Agent’) stopped transmitting in the Gulf of Alaska.  Luckily, one animal continues to transmit its location and it has been tracked even further than Flex!

The whale in question is a young 8-year old female named ‘Varvara’.  After she crossed the Gulf of Alaska, she headed in towards the BC coast, coming close to shore around Haida Gwaii, crossing Hecate Strait and then made her way down Vancouver Island.  On Jan 13^thand 14^th, researchers from Oregon State were able to locate Varvara off southern Oregon and northern California.  With luck, Varvara’s tag will continue to transmit for weeks to come, shedding more light into this unexpected migration.

To follow Varvara’s travels as documented by the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University, check here.

Help us learn about grey whale occurrence off the coast of BC by reporting your sightings here.

Note: This research was conducted by A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS) and Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute in collaboration with the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Kronotsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve and the Kamchatka Branch of the Pacific Institute of Geography. The research was contracted through the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with funding from Exxon Neftegas Ltd. and Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd

To wrap up the year, here is Part Two of some of our favorite sightings with photos from 2011 (see Part One here):

New calf for a small population.  Southern resident killer whales are in trouble.  With only 89 members in this genetically distinct population, they are listed as endangered in both Canada and the United States. As a result, it’s always good news to hear of a new calf being born.  In early July, we received word from many of our observers in the southern whale watching fleet that K27 was spotted with a new baby.  The calf was identified as a male and given the scientific number of K44 by the Centre for Whale Research. Mortality is high for killer whale calves in the first year, so we will keep our fingers crossed that this young male survives and thrives.  We don’t know yet who fathered this calf, but research published in 2011 looked specifically at mating systems in this small population, where inbreeding is of high concern.  See here for more information.

Introducing the little guys. Killer whales are the black and white icons of the coast, but they aren’t the only cetacean sporting these colours. The Dall’s porpoise is another monochrome speedster found in BC, often spotted zooming through the water throwing a ‘rooster-tail’ splash.  While Dall’s porpoises are fairly common, they aren’t reported as often as other species- probably because they are smaller, easier to miss, and often confuse observers who aren’t aware that they exist.  In early August we received a report of small cetaceans off Saturna Island, but the observer was unsure what species they were. The  animals were described as speeding through the water and bow-riding off a small vessel (behavior often observed with Dall’s).  The photo accompanying the sighting confirmed they were Dall’s and we were able to introduce these new observers to some of the lesser-known ‘little guys’ that share our coast.

Bubblenets!  Witnessing a humpback whale create a bubble net to feed is probably one of the most curious and exciting wildlife spectacles in BC.  Primarily observed from the central coast northwards, bubble net feeding is a technique used by humpbacks to concentrate their food. The whale (or whales for that matter, as in some areas like south east Alaska large groups will use this technique as a team) blows bubbles from its blow hole in a circular pattern around a school of fish. As the bubbles rise, they create a wall around the fish. The whale may continue to blow bubbles, spiraling inwards, making a tighter and tighter circle. The school then starts to condense as a response to the bubbles surrounding them, concentrating them into a nice tight ball. At the pivotal moment, the whale(s) lunge through the ball of fish, engulfing a mass amount of prey in one quick movement.  The photo here, submitted with a report from Calvert Island, depicts this spectacular behavior beautifully.

Slow down to spot the harbour porpoise.  Dall’s porpoise aren’t the only little guys that are sometimes overlooked.  Their cousins, the harbour porpoise, are even smaller and more elusive.  Harbour porpoises can be found around the coast, but sometimes an observer needs to slow down to see them. In fact, in 2011 nearly 20% of the harbour porpoise reports were from observers on land or in kayaks, two perfect vantage points to look for these creatures.  This photo, taken at the mouth of Esperanza Inlet in early September from a kayak, was a good reminder that what we see may sometimes be a function of how we look.

Hunters.  Sometimes a sighting report can make you feel like you are right there.  That was the case in early September when we received word from two mid-Island eco-tourism guides about the spectacle they observed when a group of transient (mammal eating) killer whales cornered approximately 200 Pacific white-sided dolphins in Phillips Arm. Transients have developed this specialized technique of trapping speedy dolphins in inlets since catching them in the open water is difficult.  The flurry of activity, tactical hunting, and hurried escape of many of the dolphins was surely a sight to see.  The observers were very lucky as well; this specialized hunting tactic is not often witnessed.

Big blue.  Rare sightings make our day, so you can imagine our excitement to receive word of a possible blue whale off the west coast of Haida Gwaii.  As described by the observer, “a large (LARGE) whale grey/blue in color was observed.  Two large blowholes and a body that continued flowing through the water after taking a breath then a tiny dorsal fin.”  Photos were the final confirmation that it was indeed a blue whale.  This sighting is only the 27^th blue whale in the BCCSN database!  Blue whale populations were severely decimated by commercial whaling.  While it is still unclear how many blue whales now exist, in December, six blue whales were documented off the coast of Washington by Cascadia Research! In the North Pacific, blue whales are more commonly seen off the coast of California, where the majority of the research on these behemoths is being conducted.

Thanks to all our observers for submitting their sightings in 2011, contributing to a better understanding of these incredible creatures.  Have a sighting to submit?  Do it here.

To wrap up the year, here is Part 1 of a collection of some of our favorite sightings with photos from 2011.  Some were intriguing, some were rare, and some were reminders of important lessons. Watch for Part 2 of our ‘favorites’ in early 2012!

1) An important reminder at the beginning of a new year. A sighting of a humpback whale near Nanaimo in January helped remind us that marine mammal science in BC is a team effort.  The helpful photos submitted by observer Maureen Thornton allowed us to work with colleagues from DFO and the Marine Education and Research Society to track the whale all the way up Vancouver Island into Johnstone Strait.  The whale, nicknamed Hunter, was later seen in July off northern Vancouver Island.  Humpback whales have made a big comeback in BC.  While most are only in our waters for the summer and fall, some do stay throughout the winter.  Working with partners, from observers to other researchers, is an important part of what we do and this sighting was a great example of just that.

2) A killer whale visit to the office.  All sightings are interesting, but it was quite exciting to receive a report of killer whales that swam right past our office at the Vancouver Aquaruim early one morning in May!   Through observer photos, the whales were identified as transients, including T102, T101B, and T123A (named ‘Stanley’ by the Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program after his visit).  It is rare to see killer whales in such a busy harbour, but there is no shortage of seals all the way up Indian Arm to attract them. In fact, sightings of transient killer whales in the Salish Sea were plentiful this year and with healthy harbour seal populations in the area, we suspect we will continue to see many more of them! There are approximately 300 transient killer whales along the west coast that have been identified by photo-identification.

3) Don’t worry, it’s just feeding.  With spring comes the arrival of hungry grey whales. After foraging very little while on their calving grounds in Mexico, they arrive back in the productive waters off of BC ready to eat.  How a grey whale feeds, however, can sometimes cause confusion or concern for observers.  Grey whales will often feed on tiny organisms (like crab larvae and amphipods) in sandy bottom sediment. To find this prey they will come in very close to shore and feed off the bottom by rolling on their sides, gulping large mouthfuls of mud and straining out the sediment and water through their tough baleen plates. From the surface, it’s common to see the whales thrashing around close to shore, rolling, and surfacing erratically- almost as if they are stranded!  Don’t worry, they are just eating.  Several sighting reports from May described this bizarre-looking foraging to a tee.

4) Strange stranding.  Can you imagine mowing your lawn and looking out to see a small group of Pacific white-sided dolphins stranded on the beach near your house? That is exactly what happened to a fellow living across the road from Oyster Bay, BC in late June.   When a group of four Pacific white-sided dolphins stranded on a sandy beach early in the morning, word spread quickly and about 80 people showed up on the beach to help. Volunteers with the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Marine Mammal Response Network also were on hand to help.  After consultation with the BCMMRN coordinator, the volunteers placed the dolphins back in the water. The cause of the stranding is still unknown. One of the dolphins had what appeared to be teeth marks from a killer whale on its back, and there had been several killer whale reports in the area the days leading up the stranding. It is possible, therefore, that the dolphins were taking refuge in waters too shallow for the killer whales to enter, a behaviour that has been documented before in B.C. Whether this is what happened or not, they were not re-sighted in the bay or along the nearby coast indicating that a re-stranding from injury probably did not occur.  Any dead, injured, stranded or distressed marine mammals should be reported immediately to 1 800 465 4336.

5) Caught on camera.  A set of sightings from a cruise ship passenger came into the Sightings Network in August and reported a plentitude of humpbacks along the coast.  Included with the reports was a set of photos, an important and valued tool to verify sightings! While most of the photos showed feeding and traveling humpbacks, several pictures stood out!  In these photos (all of one encounter), the animal photographed had a distinctive blow.  Instead of the tall, vertical plume of a humpback whale, this animal’s blow shot out to the front and side.  Indeed, the animal captured on film was not a humpback like the rest, but a sperm whale!  Sperm whales are not that rare in BC, but we don’t receive many reports of them at the Sightings Network because they tend to spend time well offshore along the continental shelf and away from the coastal range of most of our observers.   Their distinctive, off-kilter blow is a result of their blow hole being situated on an angle on the left side of their head. Sperm whales can dive for over 90 minutes and to depths exceeding 3km.  After these marathon dives, the animal rests at the surface, recovering from the dive before making another.

6) Holy mola mola! This summer, the Vancouver Aquarium’s cetacean research team spent time along the central coast surveying the area for whales.  In early September, they came across the B7 matriline of northern resident killer whales off the west side of Hakai Pass. While the research crew followed the whales as they slowly meandered along, they ran into a mola mola (also known as an ocean sun fish)! Slingsby (B10), an adult male in the group, detoured to check out the mola mola.  Mola molas probably don’t make for very good eating and Slingsby left it alone after a quick inspection.

Check back in early 2012 for 6 more of our favorite photo sightings from 2011. To all our observers, volunteers, colleagues and funders, thank you so much for your support in 2011!

Happy Holidays!