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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 17h

New Bigg's killer whale calf alert! 👀

This little one was seen today in the San Juans traveling alongside T36A2 Kailas. If she is confirmed as the mother, this is her first known calf at age 13.

OBI's research assistant Alex got on scene while out with Maya's Legacy and sent along this photo! 😍

New killer whale calf traveling with the T36As

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 2d

Why Do We Choose Music Over Natural Audio?

We often receive questions about why we don't use natural audio in our videos instead of music.

This video shows why we try to find music that pairs well with visuals, making them more impactful.

Do you prefer the music or the original noisy audio?

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 2d

Anyone can join!
discord.gg/5Bxz5R4N

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 4d

Killer whales actually have a lower brain-to-body mass ratio than humans, but it's not necessarily the best measure of "intelligence". The animal with the highest brain-to-body ratio is an ant! If you look at the gyrification index (how "wrinkly" a brain is), orcas are much higher than humans!

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 6d

From the few occasions we have heard of it happening, they're like ships passing in the night! No obvious avoidance, but definitely no mingling, either.

Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 6d

Here are some highlights of the whales and wildlife we spotted during our trip to Northern Vancouver Island last August! We hope you enjoy them!

🎥 Filmed and edited by Jason Shields

Join our YouTube channel to catch all of Jason's latest videos!

#orcas #whales #wildlife

youtu.be/HZx4l7aBMvM?...

Northern Vancouver Island Whale & Wildlife Highlights | 2025

YouTube video by Orca Behavior Institute

youtu.be

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 6d

Here is another look at our September killer whale sightings stats throughout the Salish Sea! Do any of these numbers surprise you?

#whalesky #orcas

An infographic summary of unique killer whale sightings in the Salish Sea during September 2025, focusing on population-specific numbers as compiled by the Orca Behavior Institute

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 8d

Here's our September Salish Sea orca sightings map! For once it was a busy month not just on the Bigg's killer whale front, but for both Southern and Northern Residents as well!

Read all the details here:
www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org/sightings-ma...

#whalesky

A map of the Salish Sea with different colored dots indicating sightings of different populations of killer whales that were seen throughout September 2025

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 9d

MONDAY 10/6, apologies for the confusion!

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 9d

Before returning to our regular programming, we are enjoying our Release Party of a Showgirl weekend. Like many Swifties, we've been trying to figure out who each track on the new album is about, and I think we're on to something! 👀

Looking for a Salish Sea Tour shirt?
forms.gle/idoF832YLh7A...

Jokingly linking four tracks of Taylor Swift's new The Life of a Showgirl album to specific Bigg's killer whales

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 10d

This Monday, October 6th at 6:30 PM PST we are hosting our final Patreon livestream chat in 2025!

We’ll be listening in as Orca Behavior Institute’s summer interns, Elijah and Levi, share their internship projects.

If you want to join us on Patreon, click here:
www.patreon.com/orcabehavior...

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 11d

Like life behind the curtain, life under the waves is one we're never, ever gonna know, but one thing's for sure: it's beautiful, it's rapturous, it's frightening.

Salish Sea Tour shirts disappear like tiny bubbles in champagne, but get on the wait list for more here:

forms.gle/Rn24dWFbHu1t...

The Life of a Showgirl It's Rapturous Edition with a spyhopping killer whale

The Life of a Showgirl It's Frightening Edition with a lunging killer whale

The Life of a Showgirl It's Beautiful Edition with a breaching killer whale

Salish Sea Tour T-Shirts - Limited Quantities will be available. See the link in the post to get on the wait list.

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 14d

This past weekend we got to meet the newest member of the Bigg's killer whale population, a new calf that has received the designation T46B1D!

First seen on September 16th, this little one is the fourth known offspring to 22 year-old mom T46B1 Tread.

#orcas #whalesky #salishsea

A mom and calf killer whale surface side by side in Haro Strait off San Juan Island, Washington

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 16d

We are excited to announce our 1st sweatshirt: the "Whale U" hoodie, which celebrates Whale University (all the educational classes we offer).

Another exciting addition to our online store is the “Indy-pendent” sticker featuring T65A5 Indy, plus sticker 4-packs.

www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org/shop

New Apparel: Whale University sweatshirts! Now available

New Indy-Pendent sticker available from the OBI store, plus OBI sticker 4-packs.

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 16d

12:40 T36/T36Bs and T60 brothers northbound off Turn Island

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 16d

12:10 others northbound from Pear Point

Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 16d

11:40 orcas in Friday Harbor (9/28)

#wssjis #whalesky

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 16d

You’ve heard of backlit blows, but how about glitter whales? 🤩 Last week we saw the T90s and T101s in Wasp Passage in the San Juan Islands and Jason’s video was so stunning it deserves to be a standalone clip. Enjoy! ✨

#orcas #whalesky #salishsea

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 17d

16:30 T46B1s approaching Lime Kilm northbound

#wssjis #whalesky #orcas

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 18d

Here are the video highlights of our visit with Northern Resident orcas in Howe Sound near Vancouver, British Columbia last weekend!

Filmed and edited by Jason Shields.

youtu.be/s-Z70j77kLY

#whalesky #killerwhales #salishsea

Northern Resident Orcas in Howe Sound near Vancouver, BC

YouTube video by Orca Behavior Institute

youtu.be

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 19d

8:30 report from viewers on the ferry of 2-4 orcas between Upright Channel and Friday Harbor aiming towards San Juan on 9/26

#wssjis #whalesky

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 19d

33 Bigg's killer whales vs. 28 Southern Residents, all in the Strait of Georgia at once! Who would you favor in that match-up? Get the full break down including reactions from both coaches and fans in the stands in the latest edition of Monika's Play-by-Play.

#whalesky #orcas #sportsbroadcasting

Monika's Play by Play #4: T Party Sept 2025

YouTube video by Orca Behavior Institute

www.youtube.com

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 20d

Personally, yes! But we’ve documented groups of 40+ in the Salish Sea 😮

Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 20d

🎶 Oh what a night! 🎶

Stay tuned for tonight's edition of Monika's play-by-play to hear how it unfolded, but the way it ended was with a T-Party of 33 Bigg's killer whales in Rosario Strait. Present were the T36A1s, T63, T65, T65A5, T75Bs, T90s, T99B, T100s, T101s, T123s, T124Ds, T137s 🤯

#whalesky

T123 Sidney, T123A Stanley, and T63 Chainsaw

From left to right T101B Lagoon, T100C Laurel, and T100 Hutchins

A male orca dorsal fin reflects orange sunset lighting in the San Juan Islands

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Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 21d

Epic evening on the water with 33 Bigg's killer whales. We'll offer a full recap tomorrow, but for tonight, enjoy this shot of two Salish Sea legends: T123A Stanley and T63 Chainsaw.

#whalesky #orcas

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