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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute
@orcabehaviorinstitute.org
1.6K followers 90 following 420 posts
A non-profit based on San Juan Island, Washington with the mission of inspiring conservation of wild killer whales through non-invasive research, bold advocacy, and science-based education. www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org
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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 1h
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 1d
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 2d
MONDAY 10/6, apologies for the confusion!
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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 2d
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 3d
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 4d
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 8d
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 9d
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 9d
12:40 T36/T36Bs and T60 brothers northbound off Turn Island
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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 9d
12:10 others northbound from Pear Point
orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 9d
11:40 orcas in Friday Harbor (9/28)

#wssjis #whalesky
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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 10d
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 10d
16:30 T46B1s approaching Lime Kilm northbound

#wssjis #whalesky #orcas
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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 11d
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 12d
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 13d
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 13d
Personally, yes! But we’ve documented groups of 40+ in the Salish Sea 😮
orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 14d
🎶 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 So many dorsal fins! 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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 14d
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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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 15d
A few more photos from last weekend's visit with Northern Resident killer whales in Howe Sound, British Columbia!

The A25s, A42s, and A94 (12 whales) made an early season trip south, and we couldn't believe that weather and timing aligned for us to be able to see them!

#orcas #salishsea #whaelsky
The one and only A61 Surge Traveling "tight together" takes on new meaning with Northern Residents A line of whales surface together off Bowyer Island From right to left A42 Sonora, A88 Cameleon, and A88's calf first seen in early 2025 (alphanumeric TBD)
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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 15d
Over this past weekend, we saw more than 50 different individual orcas from three different populations, all within the central Salish Sea!

We have so much to share, we will have to take it in pieces. For starters, here's our weekend's "Bigg's Backlit Blows" series 🤩

#whalesky #killerwhales
T65A5 Indy and T75B3 Rubble in San Juan Channel on 9/20 T65A5 Indy in solo pursuit of a harbor seal in President Channel on 9/21 The T75Bs and T137s in Spieden Channel on 9/21 The T75Bs in New Channel on 9/21 - it was much easier to see the blows than the whales! Did you even notice there are two dorsal fins in this photo?
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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 16d
A peek above the waves from the newest member of J-Pod: this little three-day-old calf traveling next to presumed mother J42 Echo this evening off the west side of San Juan Island.

#orcas #killerwhales #srkw #whalesky
A newborn orca pops up to breathe next to its mother in choppy seas
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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 16d
17:10 leaders approaching False Bay
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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 16d
16:20 J-Pod Cattle Point heading up island

#wssjis #orcas #whalesky
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orcabehaviorinstitute.org
Orca Behavior Institute @orcabehaviorinstitute.org · 16d
14:20 T65A5 Indy heading north up Presidents Channel off West Beach

#wssjis #whalesky #orcas
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