| Chilkat |
Weekly Whale Feature: 'Chilkat'
Posted: Friday, July 23, 2010
By JAY BEEDLE
This whale is named after the Chilkat Mountains, a range that separates Chilkat Inlet and Lynn Canal from the
Muir Inlet in Glacier Bay.
Courtesy Of Jay Beedle
Name: Chilkat / NOAA No. SEAK 1443.
Gender: Female.
When to look: This whale is most often seen in early spring and through the fall.
Where: Spot her anywhere in the Juneau area, however, Chilkat seems to like the waters between Aaron Island
and Benjamin Island, most often in the fall.
Markings: Chilkat's flukes are mostly white and are tipped with a black border around the edges. A key
identifying mark on Chilkat is a black dot on the upper, middle part of her right fluke and a black scratch just
below and to the left of the dot.
Behavior: Her flukes usually come high out of the water before she goes for a deep dive. She is also a bubble
feeder and has been featured in photographs dating back to as early as 2005.
Notes: Chilkat had a calf in 2009. In April, this whale was part of a surprising bubble feeding group near
Juneau. This was the earliest month I have ever witnessed bubble feeding in local waters.
• The "Weekly Whale Feature" is compiled by Jay Beedle, a longtime Juneau resident who makes his home on
Shelter Island. He is a photographer and co-owns Harv and Marv's Outback Alaska, which offers local whale
watching tours. For more information about his photography contact Gretchen Pence at
gretchenpence@islandimagesalaska.
Posted: Friday, July 23, 2010
By JAY BEEDLE
This whale is named after the Chilkat Mountains, a range that separates Chilkat Inlet and Lynn Canal from the
Muir Inlet in Glacier Bay.
Courtesy Of Jay Beedle
Name: Chilkat / NOAA No. SEAK 1443.
Gender: Female.
When to look: This whale is most often seen in early spring and through the fall.
Where: Spot her anywhere in the Juneau area, however, Chilkat seems to like the waters between Aaron Island
and Benjamin Island, most often in the fall.
Markings: Chilkat's flukes are mostly white and are tipped with a black border around the edges. A key
identifying mark on Chilkat is a black dot on the upper, middle part of her right fluke and a black scratch just
below and to the left of the dot.
Behavior: Her flukes usually come high out of the water before she goes for a deep dive. She is also a bubble
feeder and has been featured in photographs dating back to as early as 2005.
Notes: Chilkat had a calf in 2009. In April, this whale was part of a surprising bubble feeding group near
Juneau. This was the earliest month I have ever witnessed bubble feeding in local waters.
• The "Weekly Whale Feature" is compiled by Jay Beedle, a longtime Juneau resident who makes his home on
Shelter Island. He is a photographer and co-owns Harv and Marv's Outback Alaska, which offers local whale
watching tours. For more information about his photography contact Gretchen Pence at
gretchenpence@islandimagesalaska.
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