KELŁOLEMEĆEN and ḰENES Encounter with BC Hydrophone Network

February 27, 2025

T046E, AKA Thor

Unknown KELȽOLEMEĆEN, Possibly T122

Unknown KELȽOLEMEĆEN, Possibly T046F

Harlequin Ducks

ḰENES

On Thursday, February 21, 2025 our team had members of the BC Hydrophone Network on board, our partners for our XELEXÁṮEM hydrophone. While touring our traditional waters and visiting our XELEXÁṮEM site, we came across 3 Bigg’s KELȽOLEMEĆEN (killer whale) in Boundary Pass off
QENENIW̱ (Brook’s Point, Pender Isl.). We took photos for identification, and flew our whale warning flag to alert pleasure craft vessels in the area to slow down.
After leaving the KELȽOLEMEĆEN and travelling back to our marina, we observed a juvenile ḰENES in Swanson Channel. This juvenile is the same individual we observed in late January.

The killer whales we observed have been identified as T049E, and two individuals that cannot be confirmed, likely T122 and T046F.

All photos are taken with a 200-600 zoom lens.