California Killer Whales
A living guide to the killer whale families, ecotypes, hunting cultures and individual IDs documented along the California coast—from Monterey Bay to the Channel Islands and beyond.
Search by CA-number, T-number, nickname or family. We’ll take you directly to the matching catalogue entry.
California doesn’t have just one kind of killer whale
The California coast is a meeting ground for several killer-whale communities. Bigg’s killer whales are the most frequently encountered in Monterey Bay, but Southern Residents, Offshore killer whales, Eastern Tropical Pacific visitors and still-unresolved groups have all been documented here.
The California Killer Whale Project has assembled one of the longest-running records of these animals anywhere on the U.S. West Coast. Its archive reaches back to sightings from the 1950s, with dedicated data collection in Southern California beginning in the late 1970s and Monterey research beginning in 1987.
In 2026 CKWP released its third-edition field guide featuring 271 individual killer whales from multiple matrilines and close associations. This WUTA page does not reproduce that catalogue. Instead, it organizes the major stories, families and science into a searchable educational guide and points readers back to the researchers doing the primary identification work.
Dorsal-fin shape, saddle patches and scars help researchers identify and compare individual California killer whales.
Individuals featured in CKWP’s 2026 field guide. This is a field-guide count, not a formal current population estimate.
Length of the historical California killer-whale sighting record described by CKWP.
Marine-mammal species documented as prey in the 30-year Monterey Bay Bigg’s synthesis.
Bigg’s, Residents and Offshores are the three established ecotypes documented in Monterey Bay; ETP visitors and still-unresolved offshore groups have also been recorded.
Gray whale season brings the hunters together
Spring is one of the most dramatic chapters in California killer-whale ecology. As gray whale mothers and calves migrate north, mammal-eating killer whales gather around Monterey Bay and other productive coastal features where the young whales can become prey.
A 30-year synthesis led by California researchers described at least 193 Bigg’s killer whales from 44 matrilines in the study population. Six key matriarchs were involved in roughly 85% of documented gray-whale-calf predation events during that long-term study.
The same whales do not hunt everything the same way. Large gray-whale calves can draw multiple families into coordinated attacks and extended social gatherings. Smaller prey—seals, sea lions, dolphins and porpoises—are more often hunted by smaller matrilineal groups. Those learned hunting traditions are a major part of what makes California’s Bigg’s community so compelling.
CA numbers, T numbers & cross-matches
California researchers historically assigned identifiers beginning with CA. Canadian and Pacific Northwest Bigg’s catalogues commonly use T designations. As photographs from different regions are matched, the same whale can turn out to have more than one historical catalogue ID.
Matriline first
Like other Bigg’s killer whales, California groups are organized around maternal family lines. Adult sons often remain closely connected to their mothers, while daughters can eventually form their own descendant matrilines.
Why the catalogue keeps changing
Calves are born, whales disappear, daughters disperse, IDs are cross-matched and old assumptions are revised. CKWP explicitly waits for repeated encounters before confirming some calf-mother relationships because babysitting by other whales can make a single encounter misleading.
One coastline, several very different killer-whale stories
California is not simply the southern edge of one killer-whale population. Newer research shows that even the mammal-eating West Coast Transients using these waters are socially and ecologically structured, while fish-eating Residents, shark-specialist Offshores and tropical visitors add entirely different layers.
Inner coast and outer coast
A 2025 analysis of 2,232 encounters identified two cohesive West Coast Transient subpopulations. California is especially important to outer-coast whales that use the shelf break, submarine canyons and offshore waters to hunt sea lions, dolphins and large cetaceans.
California is part of their recovery landscape
K and L Pods have repeatedly reached California. Federal critical habitat now extends south to Point Sur, and in July 2026 Southern Residents became candidates for listing under the California Endangered Species Act, receiving protected status while the state review proceeds.
Shark specialists on the same coast
Offshore killer whales range broadly between California and Alaska. A 2025 Northeast Pacific diet synthesis found elasmobranchs in 89.3% of identified prey events, reinforcing the shark-specialist ecology first revealed through California and broader West Coast observations.
This is a guide to the research—not a replacement for it
The official CKWP third-edition 2026 field guide features 271 individuals from multiple matrilines and close associations and is the primary current identification reference for California Bigg’s. WUTA intentionally summarizes rather than reproduces that catalogue, and individual status should always be checked against the newest CKWP / FinWave records.
Numbers on this page describe different datasets and should not be treated as interchangeable abundance estimates. “193 individuals / 44 matrilines” comes from the long-term Monterey predation synthesis; “345 inner / 211 outer” represents whales photo-identified in the 2005–2021 West Coast Transient study; and “271” is the number of individuals presented in CKWP’s 2026 field guide.
Families, whales & visitors
Start with the major California Bigg’s lineages, then explore familiar associates and the other killer-whale ecotypes that sometimes reach California waters.
01 CA40 / Xena lineage Core matriline
Whales / family structure
- CA40 / Xena — long-lived matriarch documented by CKWP
- CA140 / Emma — daughter; one of Monterey Bay’s best-known gray-whale hunters
- CA137 / Hercules — offspring in the wider CA40 lineage
- CA163 / Liner — adult male in the lineage
- CA39 family — another major descendant branch
Field notes
- CKWP has followed this extended family across multiple generations.
- Emma’s distinctive double notches inspired the killer-whale image used in the California Killer Whale Project logo.
02 CA140 / Emma family Core matriline
Whales / family structure
- CA140 / Emma
- CA140A / Topper — historical
- CA140B / Louise
- CA140C / Ben
- CA140D / Olivia — confirmed female; first calf CA140D1 documented in 2025
- CA140E
- CA140F — newest calf in the current 2026 family tree
Field notes
- Emma is described by CKWP as a master huntress and is one of the signature matriarchs in the long-term Monterey Bay study.
- CA140-family whales were documented in Monterey Bay again in 2026.
- The family tree has continued to expand: CA140D is now known to be female and produced CA140D1 in 2025, while Emma’s newest branch includes CA140F.
03 CA140B / Louise family Matriline
Whales / family structure
- CA140B / Louise
- CA140B1 / Stinger
- CA140B2 / Bee
- CA140B3 / Buzz
- CA140B4 / Bumble — youngest current offspring
Field notes
- Louise’s family is regularly documented with other California Bigg’s groups.
- CA23A2 has repeatedly associated with the CA140Bs and was described by CKWP as potentially being adopted into Louise’s family after the presumed loss of CA23A.
- In July 2026, Louise and all four offspring were documented hunting long-beaked common dolphins in Monterey Bay, providing a current example of the family’s coordinated open-water hunting culture.
04 CA39 family Core matriline
Whales / family structure
- CA39
- CA39A / Hopper
- CA39B
- CA39C
- CA39D
- Multiple descendants from the CA39A and CA39C branches are represented in CKWP field-guide material
Field notes
- The CA39 line is one of the key California family systems highlighted in CKWP’s gray-whale-calf predation work.
- The family has split into descendant matrilines as daughters matured and dispersed.
05 CA39A / Hopper family Matriline
Whales / family structure
- CA39A / Hopper
- CA39A1
- CA39A2
- CA39A3
- CA39A4
- CA39A5 — youngest known calf, first documented in late 2022
- Later-generation descendants appear in updated CKWP cataloguing
Field notes
- The CA39As are a dispersed descendant matriline of the wider CA39 family.
- CA39A5 was documented healthy with Hopper’s family in Monterey Bay in January 2024.
- CKWP’s field-guide genealogy demonstrates why California Bigg’s IDs are best understood as family trees rather than a simple pod list.
06 CA51 / Star — “The Friendly Pod” Core matriline
Whales / family structure
- CA51 / Star — matriarch
- CA51A / Aurora
- CA51B / Orion
- CA51C / Bumper
- CA51D — historical short-lived calf
- CA51E / Comet
- CA51F / Nebula — born 2020; current status should be checked against the newest CKWP field guide
Field notes
- CKWP calls the CA51s “The Friendly Pod” because of their unusually curious and boat-oriented behavior documented during some encounters.
- CA51 was first photographed as an adult in 1991 and became one of the best-known matriarchs in the Monterey Bay dataset.
07 CA51A / Aurora family Matriline
Whales / family structure
- CA51A / Aurora
- CA51A2 / Andi
- CA51A3
- CA51A4 / Eclipse
- The family has continued into younger generations in recent CKWP cataloguing
Field notes
- Aurora’s branch dispersed from the CA51 natal group and has become a major hunting family in its own right.
- CKWP has repeatedly documented CA51A-family participation in gray-whale and smaller-marine-mammal hunts.
08 CA50B / Jimmy Frequent associate
Whales / family structure
- CA50B / Jimmy — adult male
- Often documented with the CA51As
Field notes
- CKWP’s field-guide material identifies Jimmy as a frequent associate of the CA51A family.
- Adult males can remain strongly connected to maternal relatives while also moving among associated groups.
09 CA216 family Matriline
Whales / family structure
- CA216 — matriarch
- CA216A / Big Eye
- CA216B / Jagged
- CA216C
- CA216D
- CA216E
- CA216F
- CA216B descendants and CA216C1 / Frosty are part of the wider family history
Field notes
- The CA216s range widely between central and southern California waters and have associated with multiple California Bigg’s families.
- CA216C1 / Frosty became famous for unusually pale coloration. Frosty was last publicly documented in April 2025; later family sightings without the young whale have made current status a point to verify against the newest CKWP field guide rather than assume.
10 CA27 family Matriline
Whales / family structure
- CA27 — long-term matriarch
- At least six offspring have been documented by CKWP over the family’s history
Field notes
- CA27 is a wide-ranging whale and is not among the most predictable Monterey Bay families.
- CKWP documented CA27 traveling with CA18, CA20 and CA54 to Glacier Bay in 1989; members of that traveling set were later photographed off Washington.
11 CA23 family + CA10 Family & associate
Whales / family structure
- CA23 — matriarch first documented in the 1980s
- CA23A branch and descendants
- CA23A2 — well-known younger female that has frequently associated with the CA140Bs
- CA10 — distinctive older adult male and long-term associate of the CA23 family
Field notes
- CKWP has described CA10 as likely adopted into the CA23 family rather than a close maternal relative.
- CA10’s dorsal fin has multiple distinctive nicks, making him historically one of the easier California males to recognize.
12 CA202 / Smiley family Matriline
Whales / family structure
- CA202 / Smiley
- Multiple offspring are represented in current California sightings and CKWP cataloguing
Field notes
- The CA202s are a recurring Monterey Bay family and were documented repeatedly in late 2025 and spring 2026.
- Their appearances help illustrate that California Bigg’s can be encountered throughout the year, not only during the spring gray-whale migration.
13 CA122 family Outer-coast family
Whales / family structure
- CA122 and descendants
- CA122C — large male documented off Southern California in 2026
Field notes
- The CA122s are part of the California-associated Bigg’s community and have been documented from Monterey Bay into Southern California waters.
- Historical cross-matching linked CA122 to the T164 designation, illustrating how one whale may carry IDs from different cataloguing systems.
14 CA113 family Matriline
Whales / family structure
- CA113 — adult female
- CA113A — adult male offspring
Field notes
- CKWP has described the CA113s as less frequently encountered than several of the better-known Monterey families.
- They have associated with the CA140Bs, and CA113-family whales were documented in Monterey Bay again in 2026.
15 CA171B / Fatfin + CA169 Bonded association
Whales / family structure
- CA171B / Fatfin — adult male with a distinctive broad triangular dorsal fin
- CA169 — mature female
- CA21 has also historically associated with this pair
Field notes
- Fatfin was orphaned as a juvenile and was documented by CKWP as having been adopted by CA138.
- CKWP has tracked the recurring association between Fatfin and CA169 through multiple years.
16 CA45-associated whales California Bigg’s
Whales / family structure
- CA45
- CA45B — adult male with a wavy dorsal fin
- CA46D has been documented with CA45-family whales
- CA216-family whales have also associated with this group
Field notes
- CA45-family and associated whales are well documented in the Santa Barbara Channel / Channel Islands region as well as farther north.
- A 2025 Monterey Bay encounter included CA45, CA45B, CA46D and multiple CA216-family whales.
17 Other 2026 Monterey Bigg’s IDs Recent sightings
Whales / family structure
- CA222-family whales
- CA35-family whales
- CA36
- CA175A
- CA180
- These and other IDs occur in the much larger 2026 CKWP field guide
Field notes
- The 2026 CKWP guide expanded dramatically to 271 featured individuals from multiple matrilines and close associates.
- This WUTA directory is intentionally curated rather than attempting to duplicate CKWP’s full identification catalogue.
18 Inner-coast T-number visitors Bigg’s visitors
Whales / family structure
- T-numbered Bigg’s from the inner-coast subpopulation occasionally reach California
- Examples include T65B-family whales documented in Monterey Bay
Field notes
- California is an overlap zone: the 2025 West Coast Transient study found inner- and outer-coast subpopulations with different social networks and habitat preferences.
- Mixed associations were rare in the study dataset, but they do happen.
19 Southern Resident visitors Other ecotype
Whales / family structure
- K Pod
- L Pod
Field notes
- Southern Resident killer whales are fish-eaters, not mammal hunters.
- K and L Pod have been documented in California waters, especially during winter and spring. Monterey Bay’s landmark modern record dates to January 2000.
- NOAA’s designated Southern Resident critical habitat extends south to Point Sur. In July 2026, California also advanced Southern Residents to candidate status under the California Endangered Species Act, which provides protected status during the state review.
20 Offshore killer whales Other ecotype
Whales / family structure
- Eastern North Pacific Offshore killer whales
- Large groups can travel from Southern California north to Alaska
Field notes
- CKWP has documented Offshore killer whales off California since 1992.
- Offshores are known for strong tooth wear associated with shark predation. A 2025 Northeast Pacific synthesis found elasmobranchs in 89.3% of identified Offshore prey events, confirming that sharks and rays dominate the documented diet.
21 ETP & unidentified visitors Other visitors
Whales / family structure
- Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales have occasionally moved north into California waters
- CKWP also reports unidentified offshore groups that do not fit neatly into the three commonly recognized Monterey Bay ecotypes
Field notes
- Not every killer whale seen off California can immediately be assigned to Bigg’s, Resident or Offshore ecotypes.
- Photographs, location, associations, vocal behavior and genetics can all help researchers resolve identity.
Where the facts come from
This WUTA guide is independently written using current photo-identification catalogues, long-term field records, peer-reviewed research and government conservation sources from the organizations below.
- California Killer Whale Project
- UBC Marine Mammal Research Unit
- NOAA Fisheries
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada / COSEWIC
- FinWave
- Monterey Bay Whale Watch
CA-, T- and OCT identifiers can be cross-matched or revised as photographs and databases improve. For formal photo-identification, scientific, management or legal use, consult the newest original catalogue and research team records. WUTA is not affiliated with CKWP and does not claim ownership of its catalogue data or photographs.
