killer whales

Robson Bight, B.C. part of Stephen Wilkes' "Day to Night" series (Stephen Wilkes)

Aye, there’s the rub

Killer whales are drawn to a part of northeast Vancouver Island, where they engage in a strange activity—’beach rubbing’

Justin Trudeau’s B.C. blunder

There are risks to a Burnaby pipeline that Trudeau is underestimating: dead whales and Clayoquot 2.0. And they will cost him in 2019.

Killer whales in captivity: An idea whose time has passed?

As attitudes change, it may be time for public pressure to change its focus from captive killer whales to wild ones

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Studies say: don’t worry, be happy—when expecting

Our semi-regular roundup of findings from the world of academia

In the company of whales

In the company of whales

Sperm whales have distinct dialects, complex relationships and a set of traditions passed down between generations—what scientists are calling a ‘multicultural civilization’

What to do about a killer killer whale

What to do about a killer killer whale

Real life is a good deal more complicated than it appears in the movies. Consider the 1993 blockbuster Free Willy, which tells the story of a young boy who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a six-ton killer whale and helps him escape from an unscrupulous amusement park owner. The tale not only inspired several sequels, but an outpouring of affection for the lead actor—Keiko the killer whale.

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An ocean of poison

B.C.’s majestic killer whales are dying as their ocean home surrenders to the stress of pollution, global warming and carbonic acid

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Stocks down (not what you think)

Stephen Harper is about to speak to a smallish Tory crowd at the Coast Victoria Harbourside Hotel and Marina. The view here on this sunny day couldn’t be better. Just below the hotel where he’s speaking is the office of Orca Spirit Adventures whale watching company. (A few years back, I spent a memorable day on one of their boats, which I can see docked from where I’m writing.)