Boaters have ‘bucket list’ moment when they spot creature not seen in almost 100 years
Captain Rod King is a pro when it comes to whale watching tours around Vancouver Island in Canada.
The experienced captain and naturalist has spent most of his life on the water, and his most recent job includes leading tours in Victoria with Eagle Wing Whale Watching Tours, according to the tour agency.
Despite all of his experience, the captain recently got an “exciting” surprise while in the Salish Sea near Race Rocks — an ecological reserve off the coast of southwestern Canada. King captured video of a mother sea otter and her pup, the agency said in a July 28 Facebook post.
“This is BIG news, as [British Columbia’s] sea otter population rebounds from being eliminated by fur traders in the early 1900s,” the post said. “This may be the first mother-pup pair documented this far into the Salish Sea in almost 100 years!”
A video shared by the agency shows the mom and baby popping their heads out of the water before diving back down into the sea.
The sighting is incredibly rare and could be a first, the Pacific Whale Watch Association said in a July 28 Facebook post.
“Adult sea otter sightings in the Salish Sea are rare enough, but this is something never before seen by the Pacific Whale Watch Association,” the group wrote. “We’d hardly believe it if not for this video proof from Captain Rod King. Amazing find!”
Social media users shared the agency and association’s excitement.
“Bucket list for me right there,” one person commented on the tour agency’s video.
“What?! That’s sooo cool! Amazing,” another commenter wrote.
“What wonderful news,” a third comment said.
Sea otters in British Columbia
The sea otter population in British Columbia was nearly eliminated by fur traders in the 1900s, Eagle Wing Whale Watching Tours wrote in its post.
Since then, restoration efforts have been underway, including the relocation of Alaskan otters to the west coast of Vancouver Island and the outer Washington coast between 1969 and 1972, the post said.
Sea otters are occasional visitors in the Salish Sea, according to the agency’s website.
This story was originally published July 31, 2023 at 12:03 PM with the headline "Boaters have ‘bucket list’ moment when they spot creature not seen in almost 100 years."
