Orca Behavior Institute

@orcabehaviorinstitute.org

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A non-profit based on San Juan Island, Washington with the mission of inspiring conservation of wild killer whales through non-invasive research, bold advocacy, and science-based education. www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org

Bigg's killer whale T35A1 Opal alongside a newly documented calf that has been traveling with the T35A and T38A orca families in the Salish Sea this week.
Alaskan transient killer whale AT191 Pilot surfacing in the Gulf of Alaska.
A promo graphic for OBI's 2026 T-shirt fundraiser featuring artwork of L110 Midnight. Last call to get yours: our 2026 T-shirt fundraiser ends tonight!
Top: photo of T65B2 stranded on Minor Island on July 16th Bottom: photo of T65B2 free-swimming in Spieden Channel on July 17th
A promo graphic for OBI's 2026 T-shirt fundraiser featuring artwork of L110 Midnight. We are 60% of the way to our goal with 4 days left!
A map of the central Salish Sea area showing where the T123s Bigg’s killer whale matriline were seen and traveled last June.
A graphic displaying the Orca Behavior Institute's limited edition T-shirt for the 2026 Annual Fundraiser, available only until July 19th.
Two members of the T46Bs Bigg’s killer whales matriline traveling near the shoreline yesterday afternoon in Cayou Channel.
A poster for “Jack’s Summer Camp 2026” with photos of three possible enrollees nominated by Monika
An infographic summarizing some stats from the Orca Behavior Institute's June 2026 tracking of killer whale sightings throughout the Salish Sea
The Orca Behavior Institute's June 2026 killer whale sightings map of the Salish Sea, showing first sighting locations for every unique report of killer whales.
A female Bigg's killer whale T100 porpoising down San Juan Channel in the San Juan Islands with the Lopez Islands shoreline and peak of Mt. Baker in the background
2026 Firecracker: T19B Galiano for Best Breach. A photo of male Bigg's killer whale T19 doing a belly flop with fireworks graphics in the corners.
A video compilation of 5 different killer whales doing breaches, first in real time and then in slo-mo with the whales masked with fireworks animations
Three orcas surface together in the Gulf of Alaska
Two adult male Bigg's killer whales surface side by side in the San Juan Islands on June 28, 2026. Photo taken by Monika Wieland Shields of the Orca Behavior Institute.
This photograph features one of our artists, Christine Fowler, alongside her driftwood dorsal fin that symbolizes J27 Blackberry, an endangered Southern Resident killer whale.
An infographic summarizing some stats from the Orca Behavior Institute's May 2026 tracking of killer whale sightings throughout the Salish Sea
The Orca Behavior Institute's May 2026 killer whale sightings map of the Salish Sea, showing first sighting locations for every unique report of killer whales.
The graphic shows a copy of the book "Endangered Orcas," written by Monika Wieland Shields, the director of the Orca Behavior Institute.
Three members of a family of Bigg's killer whales surface together in the San Juan Islands
A chart illustrating the trend of Southern Resident killer whale sightings in the Salish Sea from 2016 to 2025.
A graphic showing the key actions for Southern Residents' recovery.
J49 T'ilem I'nges Southern Resident orca off the west side of San Juan Island on 6/15.
A map illustrating all Washington State Ferry terminals that include artistic representations of the Southern Residents.
A male resident killer whale surfaces in front of a dramatic Alaskan landscape
A map displaying the range of the Southern Resident killer whales.
A photo of Nick Templeman's dog Yukon aboard his vessel, "Guardian", and the whales from the T2C Bigg's killer whale matriline that have been named in his honor.
The T64Bs and T65As passing the Cone Islands in Rosario Strait
A breaching Bigg's killer whale in San Juan Channel on the evening of May 11th, 2026.
A graphic featuring the newest product, Bigg Feelings—a killer whale-shaped stress ball—has been added to the Orca Behavior Institute and is now available in the webstore.
A graphic detailing the Orca Behavior Institute's upcoming Patreon livestream chat on Monday, May 18th. This event will include a screening of the 30-minute documentary "Echos of the Sound: The Story of Hugo and the Southern Residents," followed by a question and answer session with filmmakers Emma and Annie Stafki.
Two young killer whales do a tail slap and inverted tail slap side by side in Parks Bay, Shaw Island, Washington
A photo of a fluking humpback whale and text advertising the opening of the Orca Behavior Institute's new Whale University Class, Fluking Around With Humpbacks, which will run in fall of 2026.
An infographic summarizing some stats from the Orca Behavior Institute's April 2026 tracking of killer whale sightings throughout the Salish Sea
The Orca Behavior Institute's April 2026 killer whale sightings map of the Salish Sea, showing first sighting locations for every unique report of killer whales.
T46E Bigg’s killer whale in the photo when the T46s appeared south of the San Juan Islands with the T46Bs on May 7th. Photo taken by Alex, OBI's Research and Education Assistant
T19 Nootka in the middle is the mom and she's flanked by her two adult sons, T19B Galiano on the left side of the photo and T19C Spouter on the right.
The Orca Behavior Institute's Give Bigg's spring fundraiser ends at midnight tonight! Here are the current standings of 10 killer whale family groups as decided by your donations. The winning group of Bigg's killer whales will feature on a new sticker sheet this summer.
A chart showing the current standings of 10 Bigg's killer whale groups in OBI's spring fundraiser. The family that raises the most dollars will be featured on a new sticker sheet this summer. All proceeds support OBI's ongoing killer whale field research.
Male Bigg's killer whale T51 Roswell in Burrows Bay, Washington on May 2, 2026.