What three types of whales live in the coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest?
5 min read
Asked by: Will Hollins
Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest The highlight for most visitors are the orcas, humpbacks, minke whales, and gray whales, but whales are only the start!
What whales live in the Pacific Northwest?
Orcas, also known as killer whales, are a common sight in northern Washington and British Columbia, where the southern resident pods feed on Chinook salmon year-round. But transient orcas, which always travel, occasionally pop up along the coastline to hunt sea lions and harbor seals.
What kind of whales are on the West Coast?
Commonly seen species include gray whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, California sea lions, and sea otters. Sometimes, humpback whales, minke whales and harbor porpoises have also been seen.
What type of whales live in the Pacific Ocean?
Orcas, Gray whales, giant Blue whales, Sperm whales and Humpbacks all live along the Pacific Coast. The prime viewing season varies, depending on the species of whale and their migratory routes.
Do whales live in coastal waters?
North Atlantic right whales primarily occur in Atlantic coastal waters on the continental shelf, although they also are known to travel far offshore, over deep water. Right whales migrate seasonally and may travel alone or in small groups.
How many species of whales are there in the Pacific Ocean?
Whales Counted Off US Pacific Coast
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Fin whale | Balaenoptera physalus | 2,099 |
| Blue whale | Balaenoptera musculus | 1,548 |
| Minke whale | Balaenoptera acutorostrata | 823 |
| Humpback whale | Megaptera novaeangliae | 942 |
What type of whales are in the Puget Sound?
Types of whales in the Puget Sound
There are seven species of whales and dolphins that frequent the Puget Sound and Salish Sea (the waters that run up to the west of Vancouver Island): orcas, transient orcas, gray whales, humpback whales, minkes, fin whales, pacific white-sided dolphins, and pseudorcas.
Do whales live in the Pacific Ocean?
Almost half of the 80 species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), can be found in the Pacific Ocean5. Whales are divided into two main types: toothed whales, and those without teeth, known as baleen whales.
Where do orca whales live?
Where They Live. Killer whales are found in all oceans. While they are most abundant in colder waters like Antarctica, Norway, and Alaska, they are also found in tropical and subtropical waters. The most well-studied killer whale populations occur in the eastern North Pacific Ocean.
Where do blue whales live?
Blue whales are found in all oceans except the Arctic. They generally migrate seasonally between summer feeding grounds and winter breeding grounds, but some evidence suggests that individuals in certain areas might not migrate at all.
How many blue whales are left in the world 2021?
25,000 blue whales
Sadly, there are only about 10,000 to 25,000 blue whales left in the world today. Though it may sound like a large number, this is incredibly low.
Where do Humpback whales live?
all oceans
Humpback whales live in all oceans around the world. They travel great distances every year and have one of the longest migrations of any mammal on the planet. Some populations swim 5,000 miles from tropical breeding grounds to colder, more productive feeding grounds.
Do blue whales live in the Pacific Ocean?
Blue Whale Habitat
The blue whale is an oceanic animal, preferring deep waters in the middle of the ocean to coastal waters. They reside in temperate and cold water regions. As such, they can be found in all large water bodies of the world, which include the Pacific Ocean, Antarctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.
Is a blue whale’s heart?
Check out these facts of the heart of the world’s largest creature, the Blue Whale. A blue whale’s heart is the biggest on the planet, weighing 400 pounds. That’s the weight of about 35 gallon paint cans. A blue whale’s heart is only 1% of its body weight – however the whale’s immense weight is supported by water.
How rare is it to see a blue whale?
As blue whales are extremely rare, places where you are sure to spot them are just as rare. On the other hand, their annual migration routes are well known. Blue whales usually travel back and forth between tropic and polar waters, so in theory you could meet them in any sea all over the world.
How much does a blue whale poop?
Also called ambergris, blue whales can expel over 200 liters of poop for each bowel movement.
When was the last blue whale seen?
PUBLISHED: March 30, 2021 at 4:30 a.m. | UPDATED: March 30, 2021 at 4:03 p.m. A 70-foot blue whale was spotted close to the Orange County coastline on Sunday, March 28, an out-of-season sighting for the world’s largest mammal that typically frequents local waters in summer months.
Can you swim with a blue whale?
Mirissa, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is one of the very few places in the world where, besides being able to go blue whale watching, swimming with blue whales is allowed. Imagine getting into the water with the largest animal that has ever existed!
Is it illegal to touch a whale?
General Viewing Guidelines. **Do not feed, or attempt to feed, any marine mammals. It’s harmful and illegal. **Do not swim with, ride, pet, touch, or attempt to interact with marine mammals or sea turtles in the wild.
Is it safe to swim with dolphins?
Dolphins in SWTD programs have demonstrated agitated and aggressive behavior under the stressful conditions of forced interaction. These behaviors may result in serious physical injury to swimmers. SWTD programs have reported human injuries including lacerations, tooth rakes, internal injuries, broken bones, and shock.
Are killer whales friendly?
To answer the first question, are killer whales dangerous, they actually aren’t! Or at least to humans, usually. Although you should still be cautious, there has only been one instance of a killer whale attacking a person in the wild –with no instances of a wild orca killing a human.
Has a whale ever eaten a human?
Despite occasional reports of whales scooping people into their mouths, it’s incredibly rare—and for all but one species, swallowing a human is physically impossible. On Friday, a lobster diver made headlines when he described miraculously surviving being “swallowed” by a humpback whale off Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Are dolphins nice?
Dolphins have a reputation for being friendly, but they are actually wild animals who should be treated with caution and respect. Interactions with people change dolphin behavior for the worse. They lose their natural wariness, which makes them easy targets for vandalism and shark attack.
