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Dall’s Porpoise – Phocoenoides dalli

May 13, 2016 Lodge Guide

dall’s porpoise wildlife tour

Dall’s porpoises are speed demons reaching speeds up to 55 km/hr. They suddenly appear out of nowhere and disappear the same way. Although they ride in both bow and stern wakes of boats, they seldom stay for very long. Next to impossible to get a photo if you are moving but frequently if the boat stops suddenly while they are playing they will come to investigate and it is possible to get “under water” photos. The white in the corner of the photo is the edge of our boat.

Grizzly Bear Eating the Catch

grizzly cstching salmon — Click to enlarge

This grizzly bear seems to be devouring the salmon headfirst. The time of the year determines what part of the salmon the bears will eat. The photo by Lindy Taylor was the start of September when the pink salmon first appear in great number so the whole fish is consumed. As the season progresses they eat on the really fatty parts, such as the brain and the ovaries packed with eggs and the skin – giving them maximum calories per bite. This selective eating by the successful grizzlies provide food for bears that are less able to catch live salmon. The discards drift down stream and become meals for other bears and the ever present bald eagles. One of the viewing stand is by a deeper water pool and some bears just sit and scavenge all day this sure saves energy and that helps puts on the fat layer.