Canada is one of the best places for whale watching in the world. The Pacific Ocean to the west, offshore from the province of British Columbia, offers viewings of Killer Whales and Humpbacks. The Atlantic Ocean, at the country’s eastern edge, is a great place to see Long-finned Pilot Whales and other marine mammals.
Flashy black and white Killer Whales, or Orcas, are the largest members of the dolphin family. Transients aggressively hunt sea lions and other mammals, while residents primarily feed upon fish. Males have an impressively tall dorsal fin, up to 6 feet high, that slices through the water.
Another member of the dolphin family, the Long-finned Pilot Whale, is exclusive to Atlantic waters. The Long-finned Pilot Whale has a distinctive rounded head with an up curved mouth, and a long, stocky body. Their curved dorsal fins are often visible. They are regularly seen off the coast of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The Humpback whale has a series of plates called baleen that enable it to filter feed fish and krill. On the whale’s underside, pleat-like grooves run from the lower jaw to the belly. The large tail fluke is often seen as the Humpback dives.
The related Fin Whale also has baleen and throat grooves. This large whale is second only to the Blue Whale in size. Fin Whales have a very streamlined body with a head that is flat on top. They can race through the water at speeds of up to 37 kilometres and hour, giving them the nickname “greyhound of the sea”.
These action photographs of whales introduce many of the species encountered in Canada’s Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
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Killer Whale Vancouver Island British Columbia Killer Whale porpoising in Johnstone Strait off of the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada is a magnificent sight for both locals and tourists to see. A Killer Whale performing a maneuver known as porpoising in Johnstone Strait off of Vancouver... |
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Killer Whale Watching Vancouver Island A killer whale passes by this whale watching boat, a very common sight in the waters off Northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia. A Killer Whale gives tourists on a whale watching boat a close up view of himself as he leisurely... |
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Humpback Whale Breach Canada The massive body of a humpback whale breaks through the water with force as it performs a breach off Vancouver Island. A Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) will quite often breach several times in a row, like this... |
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Whale Watching In BC Canada A couple of surfing killer whales seen during a whale watching tour in BC, Canada. Off of Northern Vancouver Island in BC, Canada there are many whale watching tours available for... |
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Long Finned Pilot Whales Nova Scotia On a whale watching excursion in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia we were lucky to come across some Long-Finned Pilot Whales as they surface nearby. Long-Finned Pilot Whales are not actually whales at all but belong to the dolphin family just like... |
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Pilot Whales Nova Scotia The beauty of the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Nova Scotia as Long Finned Pilot Whales decide to make an appearance for passengers aboard a whale watching tour. The dorsal fins of the Long Finned Pilot Whales are easily seen above the surface of the waters in... |
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Fin Whale Quebec A fin whale cruises the waters in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Quebec, Canada. The fin whale is on the list of endangered animals because commercial whaling continues to decrease... |
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Long Finned Pilot Whales Picture Once the small black dorsal fins of the Long Finned Pilot Whales are seen aboard a whale watching excursion in the Gulf of St Lawrence in Nova Scotia, tourists begin taking pictures. Between the waves of the Gulf of St Lawrence in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, black dorsal fins are... |
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Tail Fin Humpback Whale Tail fin of a Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, Atlantic, Canada, North America. Tail fin of a Humpback Whale that is going to take a deep dive, Megaptera novaeangliae, Atlantic,... |
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Long Finned Pilot Whales During a whale watching excursion, Long-finned Pilot Whales are seen swimming in the Pleasant Bay in the Gulf of St Lawrence. The Long-finned Pilot Whales are seen swimming in Pleasant Bay during a whale watching excursion.... |
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