California Killer Whale Project

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California Killer Whale Project

Our mission is to continue the long term study of the ecology, natural history, and conservation of killer whales along the California coast.

We have been studying orcas since the 1980s and have the longest standing record of orcas along the west coast - more than 66 years of data! Contribute to our research by sending us any orca sightings along California! Visit our website submission form or email us your info and photos to help us continue our long-term research.

05/17/2026

New Encounter Report: CA35As, CA180, and CA175A in Monterey Bay on 5/6/26! Some incredible killer whale sightings have continued throughout May in both southern CA and in Monterey Bay! On May 6th, the CA35s were reported traveling north, diving for about 2-3 minutes at a time. They were traveling fairly quickly, sometimes even porpoising out of the water . After observing these orcas for about an hour, they met up with CA180 and CA175A! They were all traveling fast, taking now 5 minute dives, and were a bit difficult to keep track of. They continued traveling north. Thank you to the Monterey Bay whale watching boats for sending us encounter details!
Photos by Avery Fretwell aboard

05/14/2026

New Bigg’s killer whale encounter, northern Channel Islands: May 2, 2026! Capt. Delaney Trowbridge (on Pacific Offshore Expeditions), encountered 5 killer whales around 1pm. They got on a trio of whales: matriarch CA35, her large juvenile CA35A, and her small juvenile CA35B “Shadow.” Adult female CA175A “Funky Fin was 400 yards away, with her close associate nearby, adult female CA180. Then all 5 whales joined up and were feeding together. POE later lost the whales, and left the area at 2:30. They encountered another group of ~13 killer whales at 2:55pm. The second group included very well-known matriarch CA140 “Emma”, her son CA140C “Ben”, her daughter CA140D “Olivia” with calf CA140D1, her juvenile CA140E, and her calf CA140F. They were with matriarch CA122D and her calf CA122D2 – as well as matriarch CA216C and her calf CA216C2, and matriarch CA27E with her juvenile CA27E1 and her calf CA27E2. They traveled with these whales for about 45 minutes, before heading back to the mainland. Thanks so much to Captain Delaney Trowbridge for her wonderful photos and sighting details, aboard !

05/09/2026

New Bigg’s Killer Whale encounter (and NEW CALF ALERT)! Captain Chris Batts (aboard La Espada, Harbor Breeze Cruises ) spotted orcas in his binoculars during their first trip of the day, around 1:30pm. The 10 whales were heading SE through the Catalina Channel, midway between Santa Catalina Island and the Palos Verdes Peninsula. They sent us screen shots, and we identified them as adult female CA45, her adult son CA45B, and adopted daughter CA46D. They were with adult female CA216 (grandmother to CA216C1 “Frosty”), her eldest daughter CA216A “Big Eye” (swimming with a calf that was most likely her new calf, CA216A1), her daughter CA216D (with her calf CA216D1), her large juvenile CA216E, and her small juvenile CA216F. They briefly approached the vessel before continuing S. Another vessel, the Cetacea, joined the scene before Capt. Chris departed at 2pm (13 miles from Point Fermin); the whales made a few close approaches, and continued traveling S. Capt. Chris relocated them at 4:40pm on Avalon Bank during his second whale watch trip. They had split up into 2 separate groups: 4 whales to the west (including newborn calf CA216A1), and 6 whales to the east (including male CA45B); they stayed within a half a mile of each other. Within two breath cycles, they reunited and continued heading SE. Capt. Chris left them at 5:10 pm, about 9 miles off Catalina Island. Captain Erica Page (Newport Coastal Adventure) got there shortly before he left; they enjoyed some nice close passes. They left the whales about 9 miles from the east end of Catalina Island, headed SE. Thank you to everyone who sent us photos and encounter details!
Photos by

04/30/2026

New Encounter Report: the CA200s in Monterey Bay on 4/22/2026!
Monterey Bay Whale Watch came across the CA200s south of Monterey, feeding on a large pinniped. It was windy already, so the encounter was brief - only about 25 minutes. We were able to confirm CA200, CA200C, CA200D, and CA200E from photos and video. This is a group we don’t see too often, so we were happy to see them eating some good food and traveling with each other.
Video by aboard

04/26/2026

New Bigg’s Killer Whale Encounter Report, from Southern California’s northern Channel Islands!! On April 19th, Pacific Offshore Expeditions (POE), with captains Delaney Trowbridge and Dave McCabe, encountered ~18-22 killer whales, including CA10, CA23A3, CA27, CA27A, CA27A1, CA27A2, CA27C, CA27F, CA122D, CA200, CA200C, CA200D, CA200E, CA212, CA212A, CA212B1, CA212C, and CA212E. Three humpback whales were harassing the killer whales, causing the clustered killer whales to spread out; then they would come back together again. The killer whales harassed a few common murres. The matrilines were quite social, especially a subgroup of 3-4 whales that captivated the whale watchers for over an hour - as soon as they spotted the boat, including CA23A3! These individuals kept interacting with each other, jumping on top of one another, half breaching against each other. The most incredible part of their encounter was an extended period of close approaches by this inquisitive group; they were purposefully splashing the boat with their flukes – over and over! What an extraordinary day! Several of these killrr whales were encountered just three days later in Monterey Bay: stay tuned for more details! Thanks so much to Captain Delaney Trowbridge aboard , for sharing your photos, videos, and encounter details with us!

04/24/2026

New Encounter Reports: the CA51As and CA50B are still hanging out in Monterey! On April 17th, the CA51As and CA50B were seen traveling near CA26 and CA36, two post-reproductive females we don’t see very often, which was exciting! CA26 is likely one of the oldest females in this population, born around or before 1972! The young CA51As were very active during this encounter with lots of breaching! The CA51As and CA50B were also seen on April 19th and April 20th, traveling and hunting for sea lions and possibly an elephant seal. They are also in Monterey Bay today, April 24th! They have been hunting sea lions for most of the morning.
Check out this amazing drone video by Connor Foley aboard from 4/17/26!

04/18/2026

New Encounter Reports: The CA51A and CA50B encounters continue for another week! Our last post ended with April 11th, and this group was seen again on April 14th! Three members (CA51A3s and CA50B) of the group of 7 were located early on this day near Moss Landing and were observed preying on multiple California sea lions. CA51A3 was observed carrying around meat and other members pushed the carcass around the whale watching vessels. There was also surface activity like headstands observed where the flukes or tail is held straight up out of the water. Later in the day, the other CA51As (CA51As, CA51A2s) were spotted over 2 miles away catching 2 harbor porpoise. The next day on April 15th, the group of 7 was observed spread out off of 17-mile drive in pairs as they successfully foraged for more California sea lions. While observing surface activity like breaching from killer whales is atypical, the CA51As seems to punctuate every hunt with acrobatics and this encounter was no different as the group breached and tail-threw after feeding. On April 16th, the group was seen west of Point Pinos, harassing a minke whale, which immediately porpoised off to safety! They were also very friendly towards the boats. There is a very likely chance this group will be seen again in the near future near Monterey Bay and it’s a great time to jump on a vessel if you want try to meet this charismatic pod!
Drone video by Evan Brodsky aboard Monterey Bay Whale Watch

04/16/2026

New Encounter Reports: CA51As and CA50B hanging out in Monterey! On April 6th, the group of six - three mothers and their calves, and likely uncle CA50B were observed being very surface active and practice-hunting different birds, including cormorants, perhaps for the first time on record! The group has been seen primarily going for molting or fish-laden Common murre and Rhinoceros auklet, with gulls, Northern fulmar, and other species also documented. Three days later on April 9th, they were documented parading around with gray whale blubber in their mouth, specifically CA51A2 who swam with the 2x3’ chunk for hours. The gray whale calf was likely taken down by killer whales at least a day or two prior, but with that area heavily trafficked by whale watching vessels during those days, suspicions are that the predation event took place farther to the north. The pod was also seen harassing a small Mola mola. They continued their surface antics and bird harassment the next two days, seen in the same area on the 10th and further east on the 11th. On the morning of the 11th the group was more spread, with CA51A, CA51A3 and their respective calves along the coast hunting sea lions, CA50B about a mile to the north, and CA51A2 with her calf a couple miles west hunting sea lions as well. Later in the encounter they came together and began fast-swimming to the west into tough weather. Stay tuned for more information and videos about other CA51A and CA50B encounters!
Incredible photos by Morgan Quimby aboard

04/14/2026

New Bigg’s Killer Whale Encounter Reports from Southern California! On April 3rd, there was an exciting encounter with killer whales off Santa Cruz Island. Multiple whale watch tours watched the CA122Bs (4 whales), CA122Ds (2 whales), and the CA212Bs (2 whales). CA122D (about 19-years-old) travels with her calf, 1-year-old CA122D2 - and CA212B travels with her ~9 year old juvenile, CA212B1. They successfully hunted at least 3 California sea lions, and spent a lot of time socializing, doing multiple spyhops and porpoising! On April 4th, Pacific Offshore Expeditions had an epic day in the northern Channel Islands, with 4 sightings consisting of at least 29 killer whales! They briefly spotted a distant adult male killer whale, but were not able to get close enough for an ID. Then they encountered 5 foraging killer whales that were milling, including CA137 “Hercules,” his presumed mother CA40 “Xena”, and the CA27Es. Later they encountered the CA140s, “Emma’s pod” (4 whales), CA138s (~6 whales, adult male CA138A not confirmed), CA27, CA27C, and CA27F (3 whales), the CA216Bs (4 whales) and CA216Cs (2 whales), traveling west. On the way home, they encountered the CA122Bs (4 whales), also traveling west. The next day, Pacific Offshore Expeditions spent more time with CA40, CA137, the CA27Ds, and the CA27Es in the same area! Thanks so much to everyone who has been sharing your photos, videos, and encounter details with us!
Photos by passenger Isabel Gutowski from 4/3/2026 aboard

04/11/2026

New Encounter Report: Bigg’s killer whales off the Santa Barbara coast! On March 29th, Captain Devin Hunt from Santa Barbara Whale Watch (SBWW) located two groups of killer whales about a half of a mile apart from each other in the Santa Barbara Channel. SBWW, Condor Express Whale Watch, and others observed the CA49Cs, CA122Bs, CA137, CA122Ds, CA216Cs, and others as they traveled through the fog hanging over the Santa Barbara Channel. Twenty-one year old CA49C “Venus” travels with her 6-year old son CA49C1 and ~2-year old calf CA49C2. The CA122Bs were once infrequently encountered, but in recent years have been seen more frequently. They consist of ~30-year old matriarch CA122B and her three offspring, , ~11-year old daughter CA122B2, 7-8-year old son CA122B2, 3-year-old CA122B4 (who has a split-tip dorsal fin). CA137 “Hercules” was also identified, and his likely mother CA40 “Xena” was probably there too. CA122D was there with her very young calf CA122D2, and CA216C was there with her 1-year-old calf CA216C2. The whales socialized a lot: breaching, tail slapping, pec slapping, and making close passes to the boats! Thank you to Isabel Gutowski (Condor Express) for sharing your photos and sightings details with us!

Address

99 Pacific Street, Suite 200L
Monterey, CA
93940

Website

http://californiakillerwhaleproject.org/

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