Types of Northern Pacific Killer Whales



It wasn't until this summer that I learned there is a third type of killer whale in the Pacific Northwest. I was familiar with transients (those seal-eating loners) and the Southern Residents (the salmon-eating pods near Seattle). But I didn't realize there were killer whales who stayed way out to sea and eat sharks for breakfast! The offshore killer whales often get mixed up with transients.  In reality they are believed to be more closely related to the residents due to their appearance and vocalizations. Little is actually known, in fact they weren't even discovered until 1979.  As their name indicates, they remain far away from shore and so can't be seen from land.

While watching the Northern Resident orcas in Vancouver, B.C. on live web cam, I was trying to draw the individuals.  It was through the sketches that I really started to examine each whale more closely.  I got to know the curve of their dorsal fin and the shape and color of their saddle patch (the white spot behind their dorsal).   Identifying them individually is a skill that will definitely take a lot more practice, but it is fun to start to look at some of the patterns by type. 

It reminds me of when I first started birding.  Prior to that, I would have told that we only have a couple of birds that visit our yard and that they are plain and brown.  Then I stopped to really notice them and look at each one.  Now I know that there are over 20 varieties of birds that pass through my front yard every single day ... and in fact, most of them are not even brown.   They were there all along, but now I am fascinated by them every chance I get to see them.

Behind the Scenes 

This was my first attempt at digital artwork.  I drew it in black and white on paper and then scanned it in.  I spent way longer than I wish to admit cleaning up the scan and marks in the photo editor and then deciding on colors.   With the learning curve, it definitely would have been faster just to use paint or marker, but it was interesting to try the digital approach, and I'm happy with the way it turned out.

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