Monterey Whale Watchers 'Very Excited' to See Old Bull Orca and His Mother

Storyful
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Two orcas who are thought to be some of the oldest in their population were spotted off the coast of Monterey, California, on September 22.

Orca CA20, named Glacier because he was first seen in Alaska, is believed to have been born in or before 1967, according to Monterey Bay Whale Watch, making him one of the oldest males in the Bigg’s transient orca population.

Evan Brodsky of Monterey Bay Whale Watch said Glacier often travels with CA54, his presumed mother who is estimated to have been born some time around 1957 or earlier, as well as another female, CA177. He told Storyful that much of the data surrounding the Bigg’s transient population is thanks to data from the California Killer Whale Project.

Footage from Brodsky shows the three orcas swimming together off the coast of Monterey.

“Glacier was reported here a few times in the early spring this year, but the last time we had seen him before yesterday was December 9th, 2023,” Brodsky told Storyful.

Monterey Bay Whale Watch said that Glacier had been reported in the area a few times early last spring, so their crew was “very excited to see Glacier and his family again.” Credit: Monterey Bay Whale Watch Evan Brodsky via Storyful