The Salish Sea is the place to be for orcas this summer. What’s behind this trend?

Move over, Jimothy. The Seattle area is in the midst of a hot orca summer.

The Orca Behavior Institute recorded a record-breaking number of Bigg’s killer whale sightings in the Salish Sea in July.

Plus, animal lovers have been buzzing about several recent sightings of these iconic Pacific Northwest creatures. Last weekend, a group of seven Bigg’s killer whales, mostly from the T36 pod, breached right off the shore of Bella Bella Beach in Gig Harbor.

Days earlier, Bigg’s killer whales made a very special visit right into Shilshole Bay near the Ballard Locks. Officials said it was the first time in recent memory that orcas came so close to the spillway dam.

So, what’s behind this trend? Deborah Giles, a killer whale scientist with the SeaDoc Society, said a couple of factors are probably at play.

For one, Bigg’s killer whales are just hanging out in the region more than they used to. But also, Giles thinks onlookers have perhaps been more prepared this summer — with cameras to document these sightings, and knowledge about these mammal-eating killer whales formerly called transient killer whales.

“I do think there’s an aspect of observer awareness,” Giles said. “There is no denying at all that this type of killer whale has become more abundant in the inland waters of the Salish Sea in the last 20 years or so.”

That’s a pretty marked shift from 2005, when Giles first started studying killer whales in the region. Back then, southern resident orcas were on the endangered species list.

“I remember really distinctly, we all kind of abandoned southern resident whales to go look at some Bigg’s killer whales that were spotted in the region,” Giles recalled. “They were that rare.“

Now, Giles said Bigg’s killer whales and southern residents have “absolutely changed places as far as habitat use of inland waters.”

“If the long-term studies had started now, we would absolutely be calling the so-called ‘transients,’ or Bigg’s killer whale, ‘the residents,’ because they are seen here so much more,” she said.

For example, Giles said southern resident orcas used to be seen almost every day — and sometimes all three pods made appearances, especially in July.

But this July, there were no recorded southern resident sightings in the inland waters. Bigg’s killer whales, meanwhile, have been spotted every day so far this year.

Giles said that’s happening because of the abundance of prey for Bigg’s killer whales — pinnipeds such as seals and sea lions.

“Every day, there’s prey here, whereas with the southern residents, their prey is patchy,” Giles explained. “It comes through in bursts, depending on where the salmon is heading.”

How to get in on the killer whale action

Whether you’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest a year or your entire life, seeing an orca for yourself is probably on your bucket list. Giles had a few tips for making that dream come true.

First, she recommended joining several social media groups, including The Orca Network, as well as the Puget Sound and San Juan Island whale sighting Facebook groups. Giles also advised stationing yourself at or near the Edmonds Marina, an area that is “highly utilized” by southern residents in the fall and perfect for shore whale watching.

Natalie Akane Newcomb, Paige Browning and Sami West are reporters with KUOW.

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