‘The whale who started it all’: Famous humpback ‘Big Mama’ returns to Salish Sea
May 8, 2026, 4:53 PM | Updated: 4:56 pm
A great-grandmother whale with at least 20 known descendants has returned to the Salish Sea.
The whale, known as “Big Mama,” safely returned to local waters after her winter migration, the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) announced Wednesday.
Big Mama swam around 3,000 miles from Hawaii to Boundary Pass, where she was seen on Monday, according to PWWA.
The beloved whale has played a significant role in the recovery of Salish Sea humpback whales.
“Simply put, she’s the whale who started it all,” Erin Gless, PWWA’s executive director, stated. “This time of year is always exciting as we welcome the whales back, but Big Mama’s return merits extra celebration.”
Commercial whalers drove humpbacks from the Salish Sea
Humpback whales disappeared from the Salish Sea by the early 1900s due to commercial whalers, according to PWWA. Whaling for humpbacks continued on the outer coast until it was banned in 1966. But despite the ban, sightings of humpbacks in the Salish Sea were sporadic for decades.
That’s until Big Mama came into the picture. The whale was first photographed in 1997 off Victoria, B.C., according to researchers.
“That whale, who would later be nicknamed Big Mama, was different. She kept returning and has been seen nearly every year since,” PWWA stated.
Not only does Big Mama like to feed in the Salish Sea, but she has also introduced her babies to the area. The whale was photographed with her first known calf, Divot, in 2003.
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Big Mama’s lineage spans at least 20 whales
Since then, Big Mama has had eight known calves, according to PWWA, with the most recent born in 2025. Some of her calves have gone on to have calves and even grandcalves of their own, bringing her lineage to at least 20 whales.
Humpback whales are a migratory species, researchers noted. They feed in cooler waters during the spring, summer, and fall, then travel to warmer waters like Hawaii, Mexico, and Central America to give birth in the winter.
Many more humpback whales are expected to return to Washington waters in the coming months to feed on small fish and crustaceans through the fall, according to PWWA. The association urged boaters to stay vigilant and maintain at least 100 yards of distance.
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