Orange County Waters Host 70 Pilot Whales After 11 Year Gap

A pod of approximately 70 short-finned pilot whales surfaced off the Orange County coastline on Nov. 3, marking the first recorded sighting of the species in the region in over a decade. The encounter occurred within reach of commercial whale-watching vessels and smaller adventure boats operating out of Newport Beach.

Capt. Erica Page aboard the Newport Coastal Adventure first identified the group. Jessica Rodriguez, education manager for Davey’s Locker & Newport Landing Whale Watching, confirmed the numbers and noted that the whales are a dolphin species typically found in warmer, deeper offshore waters. Rodriguez said a strong El Niño currently underway may be altering ocean conditions and influencing the presence of these unusual visitors, though she could not say for certain what drove them to the area.

Crews from the Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari also observed the pod. During the same outing, a separate group of about 10 humpback whales was spotted. Capt. Dave’s described the pilot whales as toothed whales related to orcas that travel in close-knit social groups. Adults of the species can reach 18 feet in length and weigh more than 2,000 pounds, feeding primarily on squid at considerable depths.

Historical records show these whales were once regularly observed around Santa Catalina Island, where winter gatherings numbered in the hundreds. Their population declined sharply in the 1980s following environmental changes linked to the 1982-83 El Niño and a reduction in local market squid. The last recorded presence of pilot whales in this area coincided with the 2014 and 2015 El Niño event, which also brought unusual sightings of hammerhead sharks, yellowtail, and tropical sea turtles.

Capt. Matt Stumpf of Capt. Dave’s noted that he has been whale watching out of Southern California for nearly 20 years and had never seen the species before this week. Wildlife photographer Patrick Coyne, who documented the encounter aboard the Newport Coastal Adventure, called it one of the most incredible days he has had on the water. The sighting adds to a pattern of tropical marine life appearing in the region during strong El Niño cycles.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act outlawed the use of pilot whales as bait for sharks in 1972, a practice that was common when the animals were abundant in the area. The current sighting follows a decade of absence, with the last major recorded instance tied to the 2014 and 2015 El Niño conditions that shifted local marine biodiversity.