Banner year for Bigg's killer whales in Puget Sound

There's been a bonanza of Bigg's killer whales in the Salish Sea this summer.

Why it matters: While the region's southern resident whale population remains endangered , other species, including Bigg's and humpbacks , are making a comeback, according to the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) and Orca Behavior Institute (OBI).

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Driving the news: Bigg's killer whales have been spotted every day in the Salish Sea over the last five months, with 214 unique sightings in July alone, per data released by the groups Tuesday.

Zoom in: That's a 70% increase over the 124 unique sightings in July 2023, said OBI director Monika Wieland Shields in an emailed statement.

What they're saying: "It's quite the streak," Erin Gless, executive director of PWWA, said in a written statement.

What they did: Whale sightings are compiled from reports by professional whale watchers, regional sighting groups and community scientists throughout the Salish Sea of Washington and British Columbia and confirmed with photos, per OBI.

Catch up quick: Unlike southern residents, which eat only salmon, Bigg's eat marine mammals like seals and sea lions.

• Those animals have seen strong population growth since the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the end of state-funded bounty hunting programs, per PWWA , helping lure Bigg's killer whales back into local waters.

Fun fact: Fourteen Bigg's babies have been officially added to the population so far this year, bringing the coastal Bigg's killer whale population to roughly 380 individuals, per PWWA and OBI.

Bigg's killer whale brothers Amir and Indy swim together in the Salish Sea. Photo: Alli Montgomery/FRS Clipper/Courtesy of PWWA

Zoom out: Humpback whales, which can be as long as a school bus, are also being seen on a daily basis, according to the PWWA.

The bottom line: If you're out in Puget Sound this summer, "the chance of seeing whales is really high," Gless said.

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