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Orca Conservancy

@orcaconservancy

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We're a 501c3 non-profit organization committed to protecting the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population. Join us:

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NEW CALF SPOTTED IN K POD!!!

This afternoon we were viewing K Pod traveling southbound from Shoreline, WA when we spotted a very small and very orange calf amongst the K14s with the K12s. We still need to go through our footage, but it appeared that the calf was primarily traveling with K36 Yoda.

From our perspective on shore, the calf appears to look robust and energetic. We observed it surfacing often on its own and zipping around the large group of Ks.

We’ll be sharing our documentation with the @centerforwhaleresearch (CWR) for their census and official records. CWR will assign the calf an alphanumeric ID—likely K47, as K46 was used in the historical catalog. Per their protocol, CWR will also confirm the calf’s maternity after it has been observed in three separate encounters.

We are very excited about this discovery, since this this is the first calf born into K Pod since K45 Prosper in 2022.

Photo taken by Orca Conservancy staff Tamara Kelley @tamarashea88

#kpod #southernresidentkillerwhales #newbaby #orcacalf #orca #killerwhale by @orcaconservancy

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10 months ago

Here are some of the magic moments from when J and K Pods, along with the Greater L4s (L4s, L47s, L72s, and L90), visited Puget Sound last weekend! 🤩 You can watch the full replay on our YouTube channel (link in bio).

We still have more content to go through and edit, including the East Passage webcam replay, as well as our encounters from Shoreline and Point Defiance. So be on the lookout for those to come!

Don’t forget, you can also sign up for email alerts for when there are whales live on our webcam. You can sign up at the link in bio.

🎥: J Pod, K Pod, and the Greater L4s
🔈: Recorded from our Sunset Bay hydrophone, part of the @orcasoundapp network.

#JPod #KPod #LPod #SouthernResidentKillerWhales #SouthernResidentOrcas #Orca #KillerWhale #PodGoals #Endangered taken in Point Robinson Lighthouse by @orcaconservancy

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a year ago

Yesterday L Pod made history as the first Southern Resident killer whales to return to Penn Cove since the horrific captures in 1970.

Ls surprised us all again by not only returning to Penn Cove, only this time, going much further into the cove. As they entered they were very surface active with many breaches and spy hops. As the day got later they appeared to be resting in the cove.

Orcas are cultural animals and pass down information from generation to generation. The whales that experienced the 1970s capture forever avoided the area and taught their offspring to avoid it as well. L25 is the only remaining Resident that was alive during the captures, and she was present with L Pod as they entered Penn Cove.

It’s hard to say why they have chosen now to return. One possible explanation is that there has been enough lapse in generations that the younger generation is more open to exploring new places. We hope their continued presence in Saratoga Passage is an indication they are finding food. And it’s entirely possible that today they decided to duck into Penn Cove to get out of the wind gusts and rest.

Photo: Young member of L Pod jumping at the entrance of Penn Cove

#whidbeyisland #penncove #lpod #southernresidentkillerwhales #southernresidentorcas #pnw #orca #killerwhale #pugetsound taken in Penn Cove, Whidbey Island, WA by @orcaconservancy

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2 years ago

We at Orca Conservancy believe that scientific research is key to driving meaningful policy, and as we continue to expand our initiatives, we are excited to share the research we have been contributing to, and how it will aid our ongoing conservation efforts.

You can now learn about all of our current research projects being lead by Orca Conservancy’s Associate Researcher, Chloe Kotik, including her recent published paper on the life history of mammal-eating killer whales, at our new Research hub on our website (link in bio)! Each one of these projects which target important gaps in our understanding of killer whale ecology, health, and population dynamics to try to answer critical questions about whale welfare.

In order to conduct our research, including processing samples and publishing open-access papers, we need your support to make this possible! We are looking to raise a total of $50,000 to cover lab fees, sample processing, equipment, publishing fees, and more. You can support our research by making a donation on at our Research Hub! All donations made in this section are exclusively designated for our scientific research and keeping our work accessible.

As we expand our research and publish papers, we will continue to update the Research Hub for you to be able to follow our work, learn about our findings, and use our research to drive meaningful policy to protect wild killer whales, their prey sources, and the ecosystem they depend on.

Photo 1: Chloe Kotik in the field, photographed by Jared Towers, approach distance permitted under DFO MML-01

Photo 2: Chloe Kotik processing biopsy samples, photographed by Fred DeNisco

#research #orca #killerwhale #conservation #science by @orcaconservancy

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13 days ago

The wait is over, and we are excited to announce the Southern Resident Eye Patch Guide is now available for digital download and pre-order! Get your free digital download, or pre-order the booklet today at the link in bio!

Eye patches are one of the ways we can identify individuals, and just like saddle patches, they are unique to each individual whale and vary from left to right. The 2026 guide features left and right eye patch shots of all current 76 individuals (as of September 2026) within J, K, and L pods.

Please note, we use non-invasive practices to document the Endangered Southern Resident Killer Wales, which means our ability to capture images depends on factors such as whether lighting individual proximity and behavior. As a result, image quality in this guide may vary. We’ve selected the clearest eyepatch photos available from our catalog and what has been submitted, and formatted them to best preserved detail while highlighting each wheels unique features. If a high-quality photo isn’t available for an individual, we’ve included a custom eyepatch graphic as a substitute.

Thank you to all the Orca Conservancy staff and board, along with community photographers who contributed their time and photographs to make the complete guide possible.

#jpod #kpod #lpod #southernresidentkillerwhales #eyepatch by @orcaconservancy

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21 days ago

J63 officially has a name! Meet Ts’ele7álhse, which means “the heart of the Salish Sea” in Coast Salish.

The name was chosen by the @samishnation and announced at their naming ceremony on September 6, 2026. Unlike most of the Southern Residents who receive nicknames through a public vote hosted by The Whale Museum, the J14 matriline is named by the Samish Indian Nation. The tradition began as the matriarch J14 (deceased), was named Samish after the tribe.

Ts’ele7álhse is the first calf born to J40 Suttles, and is currently the youngest member in J Pod. J63 and her family are all descendants of J2 Granny, the former matriarch of J Pod. She travels with her mother, aunts, uncles and cousins, whom make up the J14 matriline. She has a close bond with her cousin J59 SxwyeTqólh, and the two are often seen playing together.

#jpod #southernresidentkillerwhales #babyname #orca #killerwhale by @orcaconservancy

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22 days ago

Pacific White Sided dolphins giving little brother energy to the Northern Resident Killer Whales (NRKWs).

Most people might expect dolphins to avoid orcas, as many orca populations prey on dolphins. And even within the northeast Pacific there are mammal eating orcas that would love a dolphin snack. However, NRKWs are a fish eating population that preys primarily on salmon. And the dolphins learned to differentiate the types of orcas, and are often seen pestering the Northern Residents. I say pester because the NRKWs never seemed too thrilled to have the dolphins tagging along, and will even try to evade them.

It’s not understood why the dolphins do this. Many theorize it’s to stay safe from the mammal eating orcas, called Transients or Bigg’s, as the two populations avoid one another. It’s also possible the dolphins use the orcas to help catch fish, and it’s also quite possible that they simply do it because they can and it’s fun. During this encounter, the dolphins were actively foraging, and then would race to catch up with the orcas.

Footage is of the A34s, filmed by me on behalf of @orcaconservancy

#orca #dolphins #vancouverisland #northernresidentkillerwhales #pacificwhitesideddolphins taken in Johnstone Strait, Vancouver Island BC by @orcaconservancy

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a month ago

Whale-come to September! We’re excited to announce that salmon habitat restoration is officially back, and we need volunteers!

Join us throughout the year one one of our three sites where we remove invasive species and replace them with native trees and shrubs.

All events are family friendly, so be sure to bring the whole pod! For more details, dates, and registrations, visit the event page on our website, or link in bio!
🐟🌲

Orca footage: K20 Spock

#habitatrestoration #salmonhabitat #volunteer #southernresidentkillerwhales #orca by @orcaconservancy

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a month ago

We had the opportunity to spend some time with Northern Resident Killer Whales, and here is one of our favorite looks: The A34s grouped up tightly together after evading a large group of Pacific White Sided Dolphins.

This marks our third annual trip to Telegraph Cove, with different members of our team including staff, board, and volunteers. What started as a small trip to a attend a seminar turned into a repeat trip where we have been working to network and cultivate partnerships to assist with the organizations up north doing incredible work for the Northern Residents, salmon, and the environment.

We believe that the interconnectivity of the habitats, along with the fact that many of the salmon stocks the Southern Residents depend on pass through Northern Resident habitat, what bodes well for the Northerns will be beneficial to the endangered Southern Residents.

#northernresidents #orca #killerwhale #vancouverisland #telegraphcove taken in Johnstone Strait, Vancouver Island BC by @orcaconservancy

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a month ago

Just a reminder, this Friday August 7th, is the last day to submit a comment on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed aggregate mine and asphalt plant in the Green-Duwamish watershed.

This proposed mine would pose a risk to salmon and the critically endangered Southern Residents, and also risks undermining the work we’ve done at our 3 salmon restoration sites within the Green-Duwamish watershed.

To learn more and submit a comment, visit the Take Action page on our website, or link in bio.

#actionalert #southernresidentkillerwhales #orca #killerwhale #endangeredspecies by @orcaconservancy

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2 months ago

The World Cup Final is Sunday, with Spain and Argentina facing off to see who will lift the trophy. Both teams are home to world-famous athletes, and also home to two of the world’s most infamous orca populations.

Here’s our World Cup Final matchup breakdown, orca version:

🇪🇸 Spain:
Off the coast of Spain and Portugal, there is a population of orcas called Iberian orcas. You likely have heard of this population, as they are famous for their interactions with boats, where they consistently target rudders. While these encounters have occasionally damaged vessels enough to cause them to sink, researchers generally believe the behavior is a socially learned form of play or exploration.

The Iberian orcas’ primary prey is Atlantic bluefin tuna, and their long history of foraging alongside commercial fishing may explain why these whales regularly interact with boats. Like the Southern Residents, this population is endangered, with only around 37 individuals.

Lamine Yamal is known for pushing boundaries, much like the Iberian orcas, whose intelligence and adaptability shape how they navigate an increasingly human-influenced environment.

🇦🇷 Argentina:
Along Argentina’s Península Valdés is a small population of orcas that has perfected one of the most spectacular hunting behaviors in the world: intentional beaching. With this technique, the orcas propel themselves onto land, allowing them to ambush and grab unsuspecting sea lions and elephant seal pups. Orcas are cultural animals, and the Argentinian orcas are no exception, passing this remarkable hunting technique down from generation to generation.

Much like Messi, the Península Valdés orcas have mastered an extraordinarily difficult technique and make it look effortless.

Thank you to @orca_iberica_gtoa for providing photos of the Iberian orcas. GTOA leads research and conservation efforts for the critically endangered Iberian orcas while helping mariners safely share the water. If you’re boating around the Strait of Gibraltar or the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, be sure to check GTOA’s traffic-light risk map and safety guidance app

#worldcup #orcas #spain #argentina #worldcupfinals by @orcaconservancy

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