SayOrca vs Remote Report

Ever wanted to speak like an orca? For over 50 years, OrcaLab has been listening to the unique and beautiful calls of the Northern Resident Orca community who inhabit the waters of British Columbia, Canada. There are over 300 orcas in this community, and each family has its own distinct sound. In this app, you'll learn how to classify different orca families - called 'matrilines' based entirely on their sound. Each matriline has a repertoire of around 10-15 discreet calls which forms their acoustic signature, and with enough practice you'll be able to recognize different orcas just by listening! From July through September you can test your skills by listening live to our hydrophones, as the Northern Resident Orcas visit their summer home. Head to our website to learn more. This reference app was made by the non-profit whale research station, OrcaLab. All recordings are the property of the Pacific Orca Society and may not be shared, distributed or copied without permission. For licensing inquiries please contact OrcaLab directly via their website.

The marine environment of coastal British Columbia is vast in its expanses and critical in supporting a variety of species of whales, dolphins, seals and porpoises. As they move along the water column and along our coastal shelf, there is a high risk of interacting with vessels of all sizes and speeds - in addition to active, lost, or discarded fishing gear. Entanglement and ship strike incidents have been identified as extreme threats to the wellbeing and recovery of many species. Negative interactions between whales and ships are often underreported or unnoticed. This app aims to support the data collection of these incidents for BC Whales as a tool for research and protection of cetaceans along the BC coast.