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Orcas Never Seen Before in Seattle Delight Whale Watchers with a Visit
Researchers say the three transient orcas were first noted in Vancouver and may be hunting seals and sea lions in the Salish Sea.
- On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, a pod of three killer whales appeared in Elliott Bay near downtown Seattle, marking their first recorded presence in the region.
- Researchers designated the whales as T419, T420, and T421—the T standing for 'transient'—after Shari Tarantino of the Washington-based Orca Conservancy located photos confirming they were documented in Alaska waters last year.
- Circular scars from cookie-cutter sharks on their bodies indicate the pod spent time in the open ocean, where such predators live. Tarantino hypothesized they are on a 'culinary field trip' given their diet of sea mammals.
- The orcas have quickly become a crowd favorite, delighting whale watchers along the waterfront. Hongming Zheng, who photographs whales in his spare time, said people are 'very happy to see this' rare spectacle.
- While their exact origin remains uncertain, researchers believe the pod likely traveled from the Aleutian region of Alaska, demonstrating how some Alaskan populations range widely across the North Pacific.
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32 Articles
32 Articles
The IndependentReposted by 
The Independent (US)
The Independent (US)Whale watchers delighted as never seen before orcas arrive in Seattle
The visiting orcas have something that local whales don’t: circular scars left by cookie-cutter sharks, which latch on to larger animals and slice a chunk off them
·London, United Kingdom
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources32
Leaning Left11Leaning Right4Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution44% Center
Bias Distribution
- 44% of the sources are Center
44% Center
L 41%
C 44%
15%
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