T36A with satellite tag
Photo by Ken Balcomb

T68C with with young "white" calf T68C2
Photo by Ken Balcomb

T137
Photo by Ken Balcomb

Encounter # 58 • December 10 • Transients


Observer: Ken Balcomb

Encounter 58 was conducted by Ken Balcomb with transient killer whales spread out near the Victoria waterfront on 10 December 2009. The high points of this encounter were: photo-documentation of a young "white" killer whale that Ken considers another case of Chidiak-Higashi Syndrome that has appeared episodically in transient killer whales of this region; and, photo-documentation of the condition of a satellite tag applied to T36A on 20 September 2009. For more information about Chidiak-Higashi syndrome in killer whales see http://www.rockisland.com; and, for more information about satellite tagging killer whales see http://www.cascadiaresearch.org. T36A has apparently gone out the Strait of Juan de Fuca and is headed along the coast toward California.

These photos were taken under MMPA permit #532-1822and/or DFO license #2006-08/SARA-34.