Whales, dolphins and porpoises
18 species reported in the Salish Sea
Every species of whale, dolphin and porpoise someone has reported to us, most-reported first. Each map shows the Salish Sea at the same scale; reports outside it aren't drawn. Killer whale reports come from their whole range, central California to northern British Columbia, and every other species' only from the Salish Sea and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Reports cluster where people watch from, along shorelines and ferry routes, so compare the maps with each other rather than reading any one as a range. Most are unverified reports, not confirmed identifications.
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Killer whale
Orcinus orca
22,752 reports · last reported October 7, 2026
Populations: Bigg's (transient) · Southern Resident
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Northern right whale dolphin
Lissodelphis borealis
3 reports, none in the area shown · last reported October 2, 2025
94 more reports name a cetacean only as a group, such as “baleen whale” or “dolphin”, and aren't counted above.
Base maps by Esri and its data providers