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Kayaking With Orcas and Killer Whales - How to Identify
Them
Kayaking with orcas can have a degree of
familiarity. It is actually possible to put names to faces because
most of the Orcas (killer
whales)
of
our
northern
resident
Orca population in Johnstone Strait have been identified.
Photo identification is available today as well most of the Orcas estimated
year of birth and sex.
Individual Orcas are part of a matrilineal group, subpod, pod, clan and
community.
Killer whales are given letters as names, meaning each Orca within a pod
receives the same letter plus an individual number. As an example the
first Orca ever recognized was called A1, and her pod was called the A1
pod.
Orcas are identified by their different appearances
of their dorsal fins and saddle patches and scars, see photo of the female
Orca and one of our guests in the kayak below. Also, females and youngster
have different much smaller dorsal fins than 
large male Orcas.
On our orca kayaking trips you will have the opportunity to identify
certain Orcas. Some killer whales are easier to identify than others,
proper identication can often only be done after photos are developed.
Depending on weather and ocean conditions we often have the opportunity
to visit one of the Orca research stations and share or receive interesting
info with the research team.
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