Famous Humpback “Big Mama” Returns to Salish Sea with Eighth Calf
Big Mama and her 2025 calf. Sam Stutz, Eagle Wing Tours
Famous Humpback “Big Mama” Returns to Washington with Eighth Calf
New Calf is First to Be Spotted in Salish Sea this Season
VICTORIA, BC & SEATTLE, WA - May 23, 2025 - The Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) today announced that the first humpback whale calf of the 2025 season has arrived in the Salish Sea. The little one was seen traveling beside its aptly named mother, BCY0324 “Big Mama,” widely beloved for playing a key role in the recovery of local humpbacks. It is Big Mama’s eighth known calf spanning three decades.
The pair was first spotted by PWWA members on Wednesday afternoon in Haro Strait on the US/Canadian border between BC’s Sidney Island and Washington’s San Juan Island, followed by several additional sightings on Thursday. The calf, likely 4-5 months old, stayed close to mom throughout the encounters.
“We’re always eager to see who the first calf of the season will be,” says the PWWA’s executive director, Erin Gless, “and we’re always anxious waiting for Big Mama’s return. This year we got to celebrate both happy occasions at once!”
Humpback calves aren’t born in the Salish Sea. Mothers give birth over the winter in warmer waters off Hawaiʻi, Mexico, and Central America. Big Mama is part of the Hawaiian population. After a few months, mom and baby must travel thousands of miles north to their feeding grounds, dodging fishing gear, shipping traffic, and killer whales, their natural predators. It’s a perilous journey, but one Big Mama has made many times before.
One Whale’s Legacy
“Big Mama is a perfect example of how important a single whale can be to a population,” says Gless. “She was first seen in 1997, and was one of the first humpbacks to return to the Salish Sea after the end of commercial whaling in 1966. She’s been returning ever since, and now has at least eight calves, seven grandcalves, and four great grandcalves. It’s very impressive!”
Two of Big Mama’s previous calves, “Divot”, born in 2003, and “Moresby”, born in 2022, have also recently arrived in the Salish Sea for the season. In the coming weeks, many more humpbacks will return to local waters where they’ll feed on small fish and krill. Humpbacks typically remain in the area through fall before migrating south for winter.
Big Mama and her 2025 calf. Taylor Redmond, PWWA
Big Mama’s 2025 calf breaches. Katie Read, SpringTide Whale & Wildlife Tours
Big Mama’s 2025 calf pokes its head above the water. Sara Shimazu, Maya’s Legacy
Big Mama and her 2025 calf. Andrew Lees, Five Star Whale Watching
