May was a busy Bigg’s month across the entire inland range — from the Columbia River mouth in the south to Campbell River and the Gulf Islands in the north, with whales present on nearly every day of the month.
Activity concentrated in three areas: the San Juans and Haro Strait, Hood Canal, and central-to-south Puget Sound. Several days featured multiple matrilines active in different basins simultaneously. No Southern Resident activity was documented this month.
T19s, T23s, T46s/T46Bs, T49As, T51, T59As, T64Bs, T65As, T86A1s/T86A3, T87, T90s, T100s/T100E, T11A, T123s, T124A1s, T124A2s, T124A4s, T137s
The T65As and T64Bs were the most consistently documented presence, spending much of mid-to-late May working Hood Canal together across at least six confirmed days (May 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24). T65A3 Amir and T65A5 Indy ranged independently for stretches before rejoining the family by May 22.
The T137s — Loon, Jack, Tempest, and Wright — made a sustained Puget Sound and Saratoga Passage run May 8 through 12, traveling as far south as the Narrows. The T124A1s and T124A2s, including Bonapartes, Elkugu, Agafia, and Litton, were regular in Admiralty Inlet and the central Sound from May 17 to 25.
The T49As — Nan, Nat, Nebula, Nimbus, Noah, and Jude — were repeatedly in the San Juans and Haro Strait across eight documented days (May 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16). The T90s and T124A4s frequently traveled together (May 11, 14, 15, 16). The T19s (Nootka, Galiano, Spouter) appeared May 6, 10, and 24. The T100s/T100E, T86A1s with T86A3, and T123s rounded out the San Juan presence. Additional groups logged included the T46s/T46Bs (May 2, 7), T23s, T59As, T87 Harbeson, and T11A Rainy.
T51 Roswell, an infrequent Salish Sea visitor from the Barnes Lake population, was confirmed May 2 traveling with his usual companion T49A2 Jude, with a possible follow-up sighting May 14 in Fulford Bay.
A new calf, T124A1B, was documented mid-month with the T124A1 matriline. Photos from May 18 showed a notable rostrum injury on the calf attributed to a sea lion hunt.
T86A1B Denali was confirmed as a male during the May 11 Yellow Island encounter.
A large multi-matriline gathering formed in Cattle Pass on May 11, bringing together the T86A1s, T86A3, T90s, T100E, T124A4s, T46B1s, T46C2, T123s, and T65A3 — with strong vocal activity recorded on the San Juan Channel hydrophone.
May produced some of the most well-documented hunting of the year so far. Confirmed or near-confirmed predations included:
May 2 — East of Victoria Steller sea lion hunt by T46Bs and T49A1.
May 11 — Salmon Bank Steller sea lion hunt.
May 15 — Off Gabriola, BC Pacific white-sided dolphin hunting documented.
May 17 — Bush Point Prolonged sea lion kill by T124A1s and T124A2s. Litton photographed holding the sea lion.
May 24 — Bangor, Hood Canal Harbor seal kill. Several additional T137 and T65A/T64B kills observed without prey species identified.
The T65As and T64Bs were still active in Hood Canal through the end of the month. With T124A1B confirmed as a new calf, watch for the T124A1 matriline in Admiralty Inlet and central Sound through the summer.