Tag Archives: White-sided

Driving Photo’s 2 of 2

pacific white sided dolphinsHowever in this case you can see the wash from the boat so we were moving when the pacific white sided dolphins came to play. There were a number of pods is our area this summer. Confusing is the definition of a pod: “A group of dolphins is called a pod. A pod usually is formed of around 12 dolphins and it is the usual social group of dolphins. However, when a group of pods join in places with abundance of food, they can reach up to one thousand individuals forming a large group which is called a super pod.” The confusion it that our pods normally contain between fifty to one hundred dolphins which may be a result of the “abundance” of food in our viewing area.

Dolphins Do Like to Play

over active dolphinsPacific white-sided dolphins are found continuously throughout the north Pacific. In British Columbia, it is estimated that approximately 25,000 Pacific white-sided dolphins reside along our coast. These dolphins are opportunistic predators feeding on over 60 species of fish and 20 species of cephalopods. In BC, they feed on at least 13 different prey species, including salmon, herring, Pollock, shrimp, sablefish, smelt, and squid.  They forage cooperatively, though large groups may separate into smaller sub-groups for foraging purposes.  These feeding groups have been observed corralling and herding fish in a coordinated fashion. They are covered by the “Whales Watching Guidelines” in that we are required to keep back 100 meters (yards) while viewing, however they do not appear to read these guidelines and always want to play with the boat.

Pacific White-sided Dolphins

whitesides "Dolphins" with tour boat

As a guide my favourite activity is to be with a pod of pacific white-sided dolphins while on tours. These dolphins are often in association with another species. In British Columbia’s inshore waters they are seen with resident killer whales, Steller sea lions, Dall’s porpoise and humpback whales. Dolphins love to play as you will notice in the above photo the churned water and what looks like rain is just dolphins at play. After spending time with dolphins it is not uncommon to have guest say “that made the day”.

 

 

 

Dolphins playing on tour

s White Sides 2

Pacific white-sided dolphins have a “good” habit of enjoying playing with a boat.  Slowing a boat to 7 or 8 mph seems to provide a reason for this change in behaviour. The dolphins will pace the boat, nose into the prop wash of the motor and even ride the bow wave.  They will often play for fifteen or twenty minutes then abruptly stop and go their way, This is the signal they have had enough and it is time to hunt for food.

 

Dolphin Feeding

Dolphins feeding

Compare this photo to the one in the September 12th posting to see they are the same type of dolphins – Pacific Whitesided Dolphins. In the 12th posting they are playing beside the boat but today they are working / feeding. The dolphins often work in pods to corral the herring and then take turns feeding but on this day it was a solo act.

 

 

Porpoising 1 of 2

Pacific White Sides Dolphins

Two definitions for the same activity take your pick I know the one I like. In this case a pacific whitsided dolphin is porpoising.

From Oxford Journals “Porpoising is the popular name for the high-speed surface piercing motion of dolphins and other species, in which long, ballistic jumps are alternated with sections of swimming close to the surface. The first analysis of this behavior (Au and Weihs, 1980) showed that above a certain “crossover” speed this behavior is energetically advantageous, as the reduction in drag due to movement in the air becomes greater than the added cost of leaping.”
Or Porpoising Definition – Birding and Wild Birds – About.com (verb) The act of leaping in and out of the water in a short, shallow arc while swimming.

 

 

Good Timing Photo

Dolphins Playing

Pacific whitesided dolphin love to play in the wake of the boat or to ride the bow wave. The most reliable way to obtain photos when you are traveling with a pod of several hundred is to point and click as many times as possible. Once you return to the lodge you can delete all the pictures of sky and water and you may have one or two keepers. The best way to enjoy the dolphins is to put down your camera and buy one of the photos that Glen, one of the guides, has for sale. This running with the dolphins can happen on any of the day trips whether to view grizzly bears, whales or a visit to the wild river on the extra day in camp.

 

 

Pacific Whitesided Dolphns

Whitesides Dolphins

 

The June 8th posting showed our boats with a pod of pacific whitesided dolphins playing in the bow wake and the prop-wash. If you stop the boat the dolphins often stop with you and come along side the boat and that is what this picture shows. Two dolphins less than one meter (yard) from the boat.

 

Pacific white-sided dolphins

Pacific whitesided dolphins

Pacific white-sided dolphins are frequently viewed on all our wildlife tours.  There are estimated to be 900,000 pacific white-sided dolphins in the North Pacific. Dolphins travel in groups throughout their lives. In B.C., Pacific white-sided dolphins are usually encountered in groups of 10 – 100 animals, although some groups have been seen with 2,000 or more individuals. Dolphin remains are present in First Nation’s middens (waste heap) dating back 2,000 years, but were rare in B.C. during the 19th and 20th centuries. They were first spotted by fishermen in 1956 north of Vancouver Island, and sightings became more common in the 1980’s as Pacific white-sided dolphins started to spend more time in inshore waters and inlets along the B.C. coast. It’s possible that their long absence was related to a change in ocean temperatures and a shift in their prey distribution.