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Monterey Bay Whale Watch
List of Most Recent Marine Mammal Sightings
in the Monterey Bay Region

Since May 1, 2025
compiled by Monterey Bay Whale Watch

Marine Mammals seen in Monterey Bay

This list, updated every few days, includes reported sightings from Monterey Bay Whale Watch trips. Unusual sightings of other marine animals such as Leatherback Sea Turtles and Basking Sharks are also listed, in addition to unusual seabirds such as Albatross and Brown Boobies. California Sea Lions are mentioned only if numbers or behavior are of interest. Harbor Seals and Southern Sea Otters, which are seen on all whale watching trips, are not included in the list. Each month the sightings from the previous month are moved to a monthly summary list.

 These sightings are copyright protected and may not be used without permission from Nancy Black. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use of this information is a violation of federal copyright law, and is subject to prosecution to the full extent of the law.



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   Killer Whale identifications by the California Killer Whale Project
Date # Type of Animal(s)
5/27 9 a.m. 8 Killer Whales (Orcas - CA206s, CA122As, CA122B)
  40 Risso's Dolphins
5/26 2:30 p.m. 19 Humpback Whales
  15 Risso's Dolphins
5/26 10 a.m. 9 Humpback Whales
  100 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  100 Risso's Dolphins
  50 Northern Right Whale Dolphins
5/26 8 a.m. 30 Humpback Whales
All Day 300 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  75 Risso's Dolphins
  200 Northern Right Whale Dolphins
5/25 2:30 p.m. 5 Humpback Whales
5/25 11 a.m. 12 Humpback Whales
  5 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  180 Risso's Dolphins
  4 Harbor Porpoise
  2 Black-footed Albatross
5/25 10 a.m. 12 Humpback Whales
  10 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  30 Risso's Dolphins
  5 Harbor Porpoise
  5 Black-footed Albatross
5/24 5:30 p.m. 3 Humpback Whales
5/24 3 p.m. 4 Humpback Whales
5/24 11 a.m. 15 Humpback Whales
  50 Risso's Dolphins
5/24 10 a.m. 15 Humpback Whales
  70 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  50 Risso's Dolphins
5/24 9 a.m. 15 Humpback Whales
  145 Risso's Dolphins
5/23 10 a.m. 9 Humpback Whales
  25 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  20 Risso's Dolphins
5/23 9 a.m. 6 Humpback Whales (pec slapping)
  25 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  45 Risso's Dolphins
5/22 9 a.m. 9 Humpback Whales (lunge feeding, friendlies)
  15 Risso's Dolphins
5/21 9 a.m. 12 Humpback Whales (pec slapping, tail lobbing, side lunge feeding)
5/20 9 a.m. 35 Humpback Whales
  20 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  150 Risso's Dolphins
5/19 9 a.m. 13 Humpback Whales (double breach)
  50 Risso's Dolphins
  2 Harbor Porpoise
  1 Black-footed Albatross
5/18 9 a.m. 18 Humpback Whales (feeding)
  6 Risso's Dolphins
5/17 9 a.m. 12 Humpback Whales
  25 Risso's Dolphins
5/16 9 a.m. 25 Humpback Whales
  8 Risso's Dolphins
  8 Harbor Porpoise
5/15 9 a.m. 13 Humpback Whales
  10 Harbor Porpoise
5/14 1:30 p.m. 9 Humpback Whales
5/14 9 a.m. 26 Humpback Whales
  20 Risso's Dolphins
5/13 9 a.m. 25 Humpback Whales
  50 Risso's Dolphins
  15 Harbor Porpoise
5/12 9 a.m. 83 Humpback Whales (feeding, tail lobbing, chin slapping,
pec slapping, friendly!)
  150 Risso's Dolphins
  5 Black-footed Albatross
5/12 8 a.m. 30 Humpback Whales
All Day 200 Risso's Dolphins
  50 Harbor Porpoise
5/11 9 a.m. 26 Humpback Whales
5/11 8 a.m. 39 Humpback Whales
All Day 150 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  200 Risso's Dolphins
5/10 1:30 p.m. 12 Humpback Whales
5/10 9 a.m. 22 Humpback Whales
  9 Harbor Porpoise
5/10 8 a.m. 37 Humpback Whales
All Day 90 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  30 Risso's Dolphins
  12 Harbor Porpoise
5/9 10 a.m. 28 Humpback Whales (feeding, breaching, chin slapping,
lots of activity)
5/9 8 a.m. 37 Humpback Whales (very active)
All Day 30 Risso's Dolphins
5/8 1:30 p.m. 12 Humpback Whales
  25 Risso's Dolphins
5/8 9 a.m. 25 Humpback Whales
  12 Baird's Beaked Whales
5/7 9 a.m. 17 Humpback Whales
  150 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  50 Risso's Dolphins
5/7 8 a.m. 27 Humpback Whales (breaching, chin slapping)
All Day 400 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  350 Risso's Dolphins
  10 Northern Right Whale Dolphins
5/6 9 a.m. 19 Humpback Whales
  12 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
  75 Risso's Dolphins
  1 Harbor Porpoise
  3 Black-footed Albatross
5/6 8 a.m. 25 Humpback Whales
All Day 100 Risso's Dolphins
5/5 2:30 p.m. 18 Humpback Whales
5/5 9 a.m. 20 Humpback Whales
5/5 8 a.m. 45 Humpback Whales
All Day 200 Risso's Dolphins
5/2 1:30 p.m. 10 Humpback Whales (breaching, tail lobbing)
5/2 9 a.m. 6 Humpback Whales (1 whale chronic breaching and
pec slapping for over an hour!)
5/2 8 a.m. 25 Humpback Whales (chronic breaching)
All Day 20 Risso's Dolphins
5/1 1:30 p.m. 15 Humpback Whales
5/1 9 a.m. 25 Humpback Whales
  50 Risso's Dolphins
5/1 8 a.m. 40 Humpback Whales
All Day 100 Risso's Dolphins
  

Photos © 2025 by Daniel Bianchetta


Killer Whales (Orcas) photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Killer Whales (Orcas - May 27, 2025)

California Sea Lions resting photo by Daniel Bianchetta
California Sea Lions resting (May 26, 2025)

Humpback Whales double tail throw photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whales double tail throw (May 25, 2025)

Breaching Humpback Whale photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Breaching Humpback Whale (May 24, 2025)

Humpback Whale pec slap photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale pec slap (May 24, 2025)

Humpback Whale tail throw photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale tail throw (May 24, 2025)

Brown Pelican diving photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Brown Pelican diving (May 21, 2025)

Humpback Whale Snowy Owl ID photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale Snowy Owl ID (May 18, 2025)

Humpback Whale baleen photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale baleen (May 18, 2025)

Brown Pelican in flight photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Brown Pelican in flight (May 12, 2025)

Breaching Risso's Dolphin photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Breaching Risso's Dolphin (May 12, 2025)

Black-footed Albatross photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Black-footed Albatross (May 12, 2025)

Sea Otter eating an Octopus photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Sea Otter eating an Octopus (May 11, 2025)

Harbor Porpoise photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Harbor Porpoise (May 10, 2025)

Humpback Whale feeding with Sea Lions photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale feeding with Sea Lions (May 9, 2025)

Two young Baird's Beaked Whales and the fluke of a diving Baird's Beaked Whale photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Two young Baird's Beaked Whales and the fluke of a
diving Baird's Beaked Whale (May 8, 2025)

Northern Right Whale Dolphins photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Northern Right Whale Dolphins (May 7, 2025)

Pacific White-sided Dolphin photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Pacific White-sided Dolphin (May 7, 2025)

Risso's Dolphins photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Risso's Dolphins (May 7, 2025)

Sea Otter mother and pup photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Sea Otter mother and pup (May 5, 2025)

Humpback Whale breaching photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale breaching (May 2, 2025)

Humpback Whale cow-calf pair arching their backs to dive together photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale cow-calf pair arching their backs
to dive together (May 2, 2025)

By-The-Wind-Sailor (Velella Velella) photo by Daniel Bianchetta
By-The-Wind-Sailor (Velella Velella - May 1, 2025)


Photos © 2025 by Daniel Bianchetta

Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises in Monterey Bay

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Monterey Bay Whale Watch, LLC
84 Fisherman's Wharf
Monterey, CA 93940		  
Phone 831-375-4658  
E-mail whaletrips@gowhales.com
Copyright © 1997-2025 Monterey Bay Whale Watch, LLC. All rights reserved.
Photos © Daniel Bianchetta

Last updated May 28, 2025