NEED TO KNOW
Three previously unrecorded orcas have been spotted near Seattle multiple times in recent weeks
Researchers believe the transient pod may have traveled from Alaska
The rare sightings have delighted whale watchers and also sparked questions about the animals’ journey
A mysterious new pod of killer whales is making waves near Seattle.
According to CBS News, three previously unrecorded orcas have been spotted multiple times near the northwest coast, appearing in the Puget Sound during the first week of April. The rare sightings have thrilled both researchers and onlookers, who are more accustomed to spotting the region’s well-documented resident whales.
Whale photographer Hongming Zheng told the outlet locals are “all very happy to see this,” recalling his 10-hour drive to track down the elusive trio. He added, “It was epic.”
A killer whale swims in Elliott Bay in front of the downtown Seattle skyline on Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Credit: AP Photo/Manuel Valdes
Researchers who monitor whales in the Salish Sea (the body of water spanning Washington state and Canada) were initially puzzled by the pod, which first appeared near Vancouver in March. The whales didn’t match any known individuals in local catalogs, which typically identify orcas by their dorsal fins and distinct gray saddle patches on their sides.
After further investigation, experts linked the trio to photographs taken in Alaska in 2025, particularly the Aleutian region — a suggestion from Shari Tarantino of the Orca Conservancy.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“They have quickly become a crowd favorite,” Shari Tarantino of the Orca Conservancy said, suggesting the whales may be drawn to the area’s abundant prey, including harbor seals, sea lions and porpoises, per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The group is believed to include an adult female and her two offspring, including a large young adult male. They’ve since been designated T419, T420 and T421, with the letter “T” indicating they are “transient” orcas.
An orca whale breaches the surface of the water off Seattle on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026
Credit: AP Photo/Manuel Valdes
Unlike resident orcas that primarily eat salmon, transient orcas hunt marine mammals, which researchers believe could explain their unexpected movements.
Another clue to their origin is the circular scars on their bodies, believed to be from cookie-cutter sharks, which are typically found in open-ocean environments, not coastal inland waters like the Puget Sound.
The recent sightings add to a growing number of dramatic orca encounters in Seattle’s waters. In recent years, whales have been seen hunting close to shore, including a widely shared moment when a seal leapt onto a boat to escape predators, and another instance where a pod chased and captured a seabird in full view of stunned onlookers.
Read the original article on People