Grey
Notable Features
A hump and a few bumps in place of a dorsal fin; two blowholes (that can create a heart-shaped blow).
Behaviour
Greys forage on the seabed and swim steadily day and night during migration.
Fun Fact
They’re only found in the North Pacific Ocean.
Spot Them
Along BC’s Central Coast near Bella Bella and Haida Gwaii and the west coast of Vancouver Island (from Feb. to Apr.).
Common Minke
Notable Features
A narrow, sharply-pointed snout, and a white band on each flipper.
Behaviour
Minkes are usually seen alone, and they often return to the same feeding ground.
Fun Fact
Their vocalizations can reach up to 152 decibels — that’s as loud as a jet plane’s takeoff.
Spot Them
Though present along the entire BC coast, minkes are difficult to spot and generally go undetected, thanks to a low profile in the water.
Humpback
Notable Features
Longest flippers of all cetaceans; small bumps on the head, jaw and along flippers; large fluke (tail) with a unique pattern underneath.
Behaviour
They live mostly alone, and migrate south to breed in one of longest migrations of all mammals, around 4,800 km.
Fun Fact
Males sing complex songs that can last between 10 and 30 minutes.
Spot Them
The best time to see them is from May to Oct. anywhere along the BC coast.
Fin
Notable Features
Second biggest living animal (blue whale is first) in the Northern hemisphere, weighing up to 90,000 kg.
Behaviour
Fin whales are fast swimmers, and they live alone or in small groups.
Fun Fact
Their throat pleats expand when feeding to allow them to engulf their body mass of water and fish.
Spot Them
Sightings have been recorded year-round, mostly in offshore waters like Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound.
Orca
Notable Features
Black colour dorsally, white ventrally, with white patches behind the eyes; tall, erect dorsal fin.
Behaviour
Three distinct ecotypes that don’t associate with each other: residents, transients and offshores. The “killer” term that is often applied to orcas is for the transients, who feed on marine mammals.
Fun Fact
They are the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae).
Spot Them
Spot southern resident orcas from the middle of Vancouver Island down.