Whale watching group spots newborn Bigg's orca calf
A whale watching tour group spotted Sunday a newborn Bigg's orca whale calf, a exciting encounter for those on board.
Bigg's whales are a subspecies of the Southern Resident orca whales. They eat different foods, and do not mix with Southern Resident whales.
The Bigg's whales are not endangered, while the Southern Residents are.
"West Coast Bigg's are growing and booming and thriving," said Juliann Wiersum, an Island Adventures naturalist and office staff member.
The Island Adventures staff, boating on the west side of Whidbey Island, identified the orcas as part of the T124A1 and T124A2 Bigg's families.
The calf had not previously been documented in others' most recent sightings of the family groups.
"Sighting a new calf is always cause for celebration, and the West Coast Bigg's population has a lot to celebrate of late," Island Adventures naturalist Sam Murphy said in a news release. "It's been incredible to witness the growth in this orca population over the past decade, and we're thrilled to see this baby boom continue into 2026."
The calf's mother is possibly T124A1 "Bonapartes," or her sister T124A2 "Elkugu."
The group saw the calf swimming closely with Bonapartes.
The tiny and energetic calf looked very new to the world, said staff.
"It's just really special to have so many people witness that," said Wiersum.
The group is hoping for another sighting as the Bigg's families continue swimming through local waters, said Wiersum.
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