Humpback whale seen with new calf

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Happy early Mother’s Day, Big Mama.

A humpback whale, nicknamed Big Mama, was spotted earlier this week just west of Whatcom County waters with her seventh calf in tow, the Pacific Whale Watch Association announced Wednesday. The calf is believed to be the first new humpback of 2022 to arrive in the Salish Sea

Big Mama and calf were spotted Monday afternoon, by Western Prince Whale Watching naturalist Bethany Shimasaki near the U.S.-Canada border in Boundary Pass, which is located approximately 30 miles directly west from Bellingham near the northern edge of the San Juan Islands.

“When the news traveled over the radio, there was instant celebration,” Pacific Whale Watch Association Executive Director Erin Gless said in Wednesday’s news release about the calf spotting. “Big Mama was one of the first humpback whales to repopulate the Salish Sea after the whaling era and has been feeding here regularly since 1997. We always look forward to her return, but even more so when she brings a calf with her.”

Big Mama didn’t immediately show her tail, which naturalists use to identify humpbacks, but images later showed a small bump on the right side of her dorsal fin, confirming her identity, according to the release. British Columbia researcher Tasli Shaw later confirmed the match.

The sighting of Big Mama’s latest calf was expected, Gless said in the release, as the whale was seen with a newborn in Hawaii in February.

But the 3,000-mile journey from Hawaii to the Salish Sea is filled with multiple threats, according to the release, including fishing gear, commercial shipping traffic and predatory killer whales.

But “Big Mama is a seasoned pro,” the release states, as she has previously given birth to at least six calves, including the 2016 birth of “Pop-Tart,” who was known for playfully popping out of the water.

“Big Mama’s seventh calf seems to share that energetic spirit. The little one was seen breaching, cartwheeling and splashing throughout the day,” the release states.

More humpback calves are expected to make their first swims into the Salish Sea in the coming weeks, as they travel from their breeding grounds in Hawaii, Mexico and Central America, according to the release. Humpbacks typically remain in the region throughout the spring, summer and fall, feeding on krill and small fish.

Last year, a record 21 humpback calves were spotted in the Salish Sea.

TNS