Big Momma Whale Just Dropped Her 8th Baby in the Salish Sea! 🐋🍼

The Deets

Alright, listen up, fam! Big Momma, aka BCY0324, the humpback whale GOAT, just made her annual appearance in the Salish Sea, spotted near Sidney in Haro Strait. But get this, she's not alone – she brought her eighth baby whale with her! 🤯

This ain't Big Momma's first rodeo; she's been gracing us with her presence since 1997, solidifying her status as a true local icon. This little baby is estimated to be around four or five months old and is sticking close to mama, as they do.

So, here's the sitch: Humpbacks are like the ultimate snowbirds. They spend the winter months in warmer waters, like Hawaii, to get it on and give birth. Then, when things heat up here, they make the trek north to the Salish Sea for the all-you-can-eat buffet. This appearance is kinda early in the season; usually, they chill here thru October and November.

Back in the day, before everyone realized whaling was a major L, thousands of humpbacks were snatched up and well, you know. But after commercial whaling got yeeted in 1967, the North Pacific humpback population started to bounce back, now sitting at around 25,000. About 400 of them roll through the Salish Sea each summer and fall, including Big Momma. She’s a big part of the reason the humpback whales are thriving in the region again.

But it ain't all sunshine and rainbows for these gentle giants. They gotta survive the long trip from Hawaii, dodge fishing nets, avoid getting clapped by cargo ships, and watch out for orcas tryna start beef. It's a whole struggle out there, fr fr. Still, Big Momma is a legend and a matriarch, and with seven grand-calves and four great-grand-calves, she's leaving a legacy. Two of her calves from previous years, Divot and Moresby, have also returned to the Salish Sea, which is wholesome AF.