If you were out on a boat along the southern coast of Vancouver Island this past weekend, you may have noticed more black and white fins breaching the waves than usual.

Nearly 30 different BiggB次元官网网址檚 orca whales were spotted over Labour Day weekend in the Salish Sea, the Pacific Whale Watch Association reported Sept. 8.

This news follows a recent report from Washington-based research organization Orca Behavior Institute that the BiggB次元官网网址檚 classification of killer whales has set a new record for annual sightings in the region.

As of Monday, 793 unique sightings of the whale had been recorded off the coast. The instituteB次元官网网址檚 previous record of 747 sightings was set in 2019.

In the associationB次元官网网址檚 report, Paul Pudwell, of Sooke Coastal Explorations, said he saw seven different families of BiggB次元官网网址檚 orcas in a single three-hour whale watching trip on Sept. 5. The overwhelming number of sightings was a first for him, he said.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never seen so many BiggB次元官网网址檚 at once. It was a special day.B次元官网网址�

Killer whales are identified using markings on their dorsal fins and backs, and classified into types by appearance, diet, social structure and coastal range.

Unlike southern resident orcas B次元官网网址� which primarily eat Chinook salmon B次元官网网址� BiggB次元官网网址檚 orcas hunt seals, sea lions and porpoises.

With over 130 calves born over the last decade, the BiggB次元官网网址檚 whale population has grown by more than four per cent. This is largely due to the abundance of food sources they enjoy.

The salmon-eating southern resident killer whale population, which has fewer options for prey is a concern to researchers. Since April, the endangered whale group has only been spotted a handful of times.

B次元官网网址淭he contrast in health between these two orca populations is striking,B次元官网网址� said association executive director Erin Gless. B次元官网网址淏iggB次元官网网址檚 prove that killer whales can thrive in this region, so long as there is food.B次元官网网址�

Southern resident orcas from J Pod were spotted in Puget Sound on Tuesday (Sept. 7), and BiggB次元官网网址檚 killer whales were seen among the San Juan Islands the same day.

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