More Whales Returning to Vancouver Waters Thanks to Conservation Success
By Conservation Correspondent
Whale sightings are becoming increasingly common in Vancouver-area waters, and researchers say there are several reasons why.
A new study from the University of British Columbia found transient killer whales are now spending more than two-thirds of the year in the Salish Sea, a significant increase linked to recovering seal and sea lion populations and healthy feeding opportunities.
Researchers say transient orcas are now regularly seen in the Strait of Georgia, around Vancouver Island and in harbours near Vancouver and Victoria.
Based on sightings collected between 2016 and 2023, roughly 70 per cent of the West Coast transient killer whale population now uses these waters.
“We’re seeing more and more reports of transient killer whales travelling along the Vancouver shoreline,” said researcher Taryn Scarff, who led the study as part of her master's degree at UBC.
Humpback whales are also making a comeback.
Once common in B.C. waters, the animals were largely wiped out from the region by commercial whaling in the early 1900s. Researchers say it has taken decades for humpbacks to rediscover former feeding grounds in the Salish Sea.
The return of humpbacks is being viewed as a conservation success story, aided by protections from whaling and efforts to reduce threats such as fishing gear entanglements and ship strikes.
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With whale sightings on the rise, experts are reminding boaters to keep their distance.
Current regulations require vessels to stay at least 200 metres from most killer whales and 100 metres from other whales, with larger buffer zones around endangered southern resident killer whales.
“If you see a blow, go slow,” whale biologist Julia Adelsheim said.
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