A Familiar Dark Fin Surfaced Near Tacoma in the Salish Sea

A familiar tall black dorsal fin broke the surface of the water near the WestRock Tacoma Paper Mill this week and attracted the attention of photographers.

The whale wasn’t just any passing orca.

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It was T137A, better known as “Jack”, and one of the most recognizable Bigg’s killer whales in the Salish Sea.

Salish Sea’s Famous Orca Spotted Near Tacoma

Photos and video shared by AirWaterLand Photography captured Jack surfacing and breathing before slowly arching back under the water. In one image, his tall dorsal fin is perfectly framed with a ferry behind him. Other photos show the Tacoma shoreline blurred in the background, including the long-closed WestRock Paper Mill, once a major part of Tacoma's industrial waterfront.

Jack is a 23-year-old male Bigg’s (transient) killer whale and the oldest offspring of the matriarch T137, also known as “Loon.”

He travels with the T137 family group, which includes his younger siblings Tempest (T137B) and Wright (T137D). Bigg’s orcas are marine mammal hunters and are often spotted moving throughout the waters of Puget Sound and up the coast toward British Columbia.

Jack has developed a reputation, often described as curious and sometimes playful trouble. He is known to mess with crab pots, investigate fishing gear, and occasionally show off with breaches.

Jack is a Survivor with an Incredible Story

Part of the reason Jack has become such a favorite in the Pacific Northwest is because of the things he survived.

Back in 2019, as a young orca, Jack suffered a deep and serious injury near the base of his tail. Researchers believe it may have come from either a defensive sea lion bite or an encounter with fishing gear.

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During the recovery, Jack struggled to hunt on his own. Observers documented something rarely seen in the wild that was part of the reason he survived. His mother and siblings brought him food while he healed, and by 2020, he had fully recovered.

These days, Jack seems to be doing just fine. He is regularly spotted traveling and actively hunting seals and porpoises throughout the Salish Sea.