Killer whale pod makes rare appearance in Depoe Bay during Whale Watch Week
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Southern resident orcas from the L Pod made a rare appearance near Depoe Bay on March 24.
The sighting coincided with Oregon’s Whale Watch Week, hosted each year by Oregon State Parks. During Whale Watch Week, Oregon State Parks assigns volunteers to various whale watching posts along the Oregon coast to help sightseers spot and learn about the migrating and resident gray whales.
“It's not often that they're spotted here — most of the orca sightings on the Oregon coast are the transient or Bigg's orcas that eat marine mammals,” the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said. “The southern residents exclusively feed on fish and are endangered with only 74 individuals left across three pods (J, K and L).”
According to the Orca Conservancy, the L Pod’s range extends from B.C. to Northern California. Historically, the pod of roughly 35 whales is known to hunt salmon on the west side of San Juan Island during the spring and summer months. However, recent salmon declines have caused the pod to spend less time in the Salish Sea.