Two resident killer whales or orcas on the move. These are the most commonly sighted of the three populations ( residents, transients and offshores ) in the coastal waters of British Columbia. They are the largest member of the dolphin family. Residents’ diets consist primarily of salmon, and have extremely tight family units called ‘matrilines’ and each matriline has its own distinct calls. You can see the saddle patch behind the dorsal fin which helps in killer whale identification. This was the pioneer work of the late Dr. Michael Bigg. Seeing orcas in the wild is a humbling experience. Click on the image to see a larger version.
