BACKGROUND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 714

WHALES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Whale-watching has gained great popularity off the BC coast in recent years. Most
towns along the Vancouver Island coast offer trips out in various watercraft, many
staying in sheltered waters where the whales are resting on migratory routes between
Mexico and Alaska.
Once nearly extinct, today an estimated 20,000 gray whales swim the length of
the BC coast twice annually between Baja Mexico and the Bering Sea. The spring
migration (March-April) is close to the shore, with whales stopping to rest and feed
in places such as Clayoquot Sound and the Haida Gwaii.
Orcas, best known as killer whales, are the largest member of the dolphin family.
Adult males can reach 10 meters (about 33 feet) in length and up to 10 tons in weight,
but their most distinctive feature is a dorsal fin that protrudes more than 1.5 meters
(five feet) from the back. Orcas are widespread in oceans around the world, but espe-
cially common along the BC coast, including Robson Bight, the world's only sanctu-
ary established especially for the protection of the species. Three distinct populations
live in BC waters: resident orcas feed primarily on salmon and travel in pods of up to
50; transients travel by themselves or in very small groups, feeding on marine mam-
mals such as seals and whales; and offshore orcas live in the open ocean, traveling in
pods and feeding only on fish. In total, they number around 500, of which about 300
are residents living in 15 pods.
Local waters are home to an abundance of other marine mammals. Porpoises,
dolphins, and humpback whales frolic in coastal waters, and colonies of seals and
sea lions can be viewed by boat or kayak.
The Deer Family
Mule deer and white-tailed deer are similar in size and appearance. Their color varies with
the season but is generally light brown in summer, turning dirty gray in winter. While both
species are considerably smaller than elk, the mule deer is a little stockier than the white-
tailed deer. The mule deer has a white rump, a white tail with a dark tip, and large mule-like
ears. It inhabits open forests along valley floors. The white-tailed deer's tail is dark on top,
but when the animal runs, it holds its tail erect, revealing an all-white underside. White-
tailed are common along valleys throughout British Columbia but especially prevalent on
Vancouver Island. Sitka deer, a subspecies, inhabit the Haida Gwaii.