Monday, May 18, 2009

BC Resident Grey Whales and Sea Otters

The following photos were taken near Flores Island, Clayoquot Sound on May 13, 2009. We encountered the same whale on two different occasions and is easily recognized by the local tour boat captains as a regular summer resident grey whale though its light coloured head and unique markings. There were other grey whales in the large outer swells and foraging in the bays off the west coast of the island but this individual seemed to prefer the more sheltered east and south sides that day.

1st Encounter (11:56)
Whale Watching
Whale Watching
Whale Watching

2nd Encounter (17:06)
Grey Whale
Grey Whale
Grey Whale


Sea otters were spotted near the area and are a successful 1960s translocation experiment from the Aleutian Islands after being hunted to extinction in British Columbia during the fur trade 1700-1800s. In 1911, an international treaty protected the sea otters allowing existing populations in Alaska to grow.

1st Otter
Sea Otter
2nd Otter
Sea Otter
Sea Otter

Fish farms and active heli-logging were present in Clayoquot Sound.

Whale Watching
Heli Logging

Whale Watching
Oyster Catcher

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