The orca T063, known as Chainsaw, has returned to the Salish Sea and was spotted Tuesday morning in the Boundary Pass area near the Gulf Islands, says the Pacific Whale Watch Association.
Erin Gless, executive director of the association, says Chainsaw is one of the most recognizable members of the coastal Bigg’s killer whale population.
“A Chainsaw sighting is a telltale sign of spring,” Gless said. “He’s a local celebrity.”
The 45-year-old orca, who gets his name from his distinctive jagged dorsal fin, is considered one of the oldest males in the Bigg’s population. Chainsaw has been frequently documented throughout Alaska, where he is also referred to as Zorro.
Lauren Tschirhart, a marine naturalist with San Juan Safaris, a whale-watching company based in Friday Harbor, Washington, was thrilled to finally see the orca in person.
“I finally met the man, the myth, the legend,” she said. “I’ve known about Chainsaw for years but always missed out on seeing him. Today was my day. We made sure our guests understood how special this encounter was.”
Mark Malleson, a whale researcher and captain for Victoria-based Prince of Whales Whale Watching, spotted the orca as he travelled slowly north along the sa国际传媒 and United States border throughout the day.
Malleson says Chainsaw was travelling with T065, known as Whidbey, and T049As, known as Nan.
Chainsaw was not the only notable whale spotted, however — a new calf was seen in Juan de Fuca Strait on Saturday, travelling with Bigg’s killer whale T046B, a.k.a. Raksha.
Naturalist Tomis Filipovic of Eagle Wing Tours photographed the calf.
If the sighting is confirmed by researchers, it will be Raksha’s seventh calf, according to the Pacific Whale Watch Association, which describes itself as a community of ecotourism professionals in sa国际传媒 and Washington state that share a commitment to education, conservation and responsible wildlife viewing.
The sightings are part of several recent surprise encounters with orcas, including on the North Shore, where a paddleboarder in Deep Cove had a close encounter with a pod. The Pacific Whale Watch Association says that encounter was not with Chainsaw, but with a different orca.
Bigg’s killer whales can be seen almost daily in the Salish Sea and are increasing due to the area’s abundance of seals and sea lions.
