The first humpback whale calf of 2025 has arrived in the Salish Sea, according to a group of ecotourism professionals.
Spotted on May 21 by members of the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) northeast of Sidney Island in the Haro Strait, the four- to five-month-old calf was travelling alongside its mother Big Mama. Additional sightings were logged on May 22.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e always eager to see who the first calf of the season will be, and we香蕉视频直播檙e always anxious waiting for Big Mama香蕉视频直播檚 return," the PWWA香蕉视频直播檚 executive director, Erin Gless, said in a news release. "This year, we got to celebrate both happy occasions at once."
Dodging fishing gear, shipping traffic and killer whales, the mother and her calf have spent the past several months travelling from their breeding grounds to the B.C. coast, where they will feed on small fish and krill until migrating south for the winter.
香蕉视频直播淗umpback calves aren香蕉视频直播檛 born in the Salish Sea. Mothers give birth over the winter in warmer waters off Hawaii, Mexico and Central America,香蕉视频直播 the PWWA said in the same news release. 香蕉视频直播淏ig Mama is part of the Hawaiian population.香蕉视频直播
It香蕉视频直播檚 a long, perilous journey, but one Big Mama has made many times.
香蕉视频直播淪he was first seen off Victoria in 1997, and was one of the first humpbacks to return to the Salish Sea after the end of commercial whaling in 1966,香蕉视频直播 said Gless 香蕉视频直播 also in the same news release. 香蕉视频直播淪he香蕉视频直播檚 been returning ever since, and now has at least eight calves, seven grandcalves and four great grandcalves. It香蕉视频直播檚 very impressive.香蕉视频直播
Two of Big Mama's previous kids 香蕉视频直播 Divot and Moresby, born in 2003 and 2022, respectively 香蕉视频直播 have also recently arrived in the Salish Sea for the season.
Many more humpbacks will return to B.C. waters in the coming weeks.