Washington mammals

Orca in Washington

Orcinus orca

Native to Washington S2 Imperiled in Washington

Not listed as nonindigenous in Washington by USGS NAS; native to its Washington range.

IUCN Red List status

DD – Data Deficient

Not enough information to assess extinction risk.

Killer Whales Hunting a SealWild orca breaching clear of gray ocean water, black-and-white markings visibleOrca off Telegraph Cove, Vancouver IslandKiller Whales Hunting a Crabeater SealWild orca surfacing in open ocean, dorsal fin and blow visibleOrca (Orcinus orca)
Photo: Callan Carpenter · CC BY-SA 4.0Killer Whales Hunting a SealPhoto: steve b · CC0Wild orca breaching clear of gray ocean water, black-and-white markings visiblePhoto: Buiobuione · CC BY-SA 4.0Orca off Telegraph Cove, Vancouver IslandPhoto: Callan Carpenter · CC BY 4.0Killer Whales Hunting a Crabeater SealPhoto: steve b · CC0Wild orca surfacing in open ocean, dorsal fin and blow visiblePhoto: Guy Babineau · CC BY 4.0Orca (Orcinus orca)

Orca in Washington, by the numbers

Common in Washington 19th most recorded of 145 mammals logged in Washington

1,722 occurrence records
1,710 with iNaturalist photos
Jul 7, 2026 Last seen in Washington

Records from 2000–2026.

1,722 total records count every Washington occurrence from GBIF and iNaturalist; the map plots a georeferenced sample of 300; the monthly chart covers the 1,720 records with a full observation date.

When to look for the Orca in Washington

Most sightings fall in May to September.

1,720 Washington occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) by month of year, 2000–2026. Shows when the species is recorded, not a guarantee of presence.

Monthly Washington records (table)
MonthRecords
January42
February40
March92
April161
May175
June246
July282
August259
September173
October115
November83
December52

Monthly orca occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) in Washington, 2000–2026.

Seasonality

Year-round in Washington, with recorded sightings peaking in May–September.

Occurrence map

Where Orca has been recorded in Washington

300 records mapped · zoom and drag to explore

300 Washington records mapped

Where it's recorded in Washington

CountyRecords
San Juan County 302
Kitsap County 96
Island County 93
Pierce County 75
King County 64
Skagit County 45
Clallam County 38
Snohomish County 30
Mason County 27
Jefferson County 27
Whatcom County 18
Thurston County 12
Grays Harbor County 3
Other localities 892

The complete county distribution, spread across 13 Washington counties. Every occurrence record falls in one county, so these sum to the total. Counties from GBIF and US Census boundaries.

Orca records follow Washington’s connected inland waters, with the San Juan Islands standing out alongside greater Puget Sound and its southern reach toward Nisqually. References near Mount Baker-Snoqualmie reflect viewpoints and waterways tied to the Sound, not whales occurring in the forested mountains themselves.

Sightings are submitted year-round and peak from June through August, a period of heavy boat and shoreline observation. The record map shows where people documented orcas and cannot indicate pod size or local abundance.

Occurrence data from iNaturalist and GBIF.

Killer Whales Hunting a Seal
Full species profile Orca Orcinus orca Size 5–9.8 m16.4–32.2 ft Weight 2600–10000 kg5732–22046.2 lb Lifespan Up to 90 yr View the full profile

More mammals in Washington in the atlas

Data & sources

The data and visualizations on this page draw on these open sources:

  • GBIFCC-BY 4.0occurrence records behind the range map, elevation, and record counts
  • iNaturalistCC0 / CC-BY / CC-BY-SAobservations, photos, and audio recordings
  • NatureServe ExplorerCC-BYthe state conservation rank
  • IUCN Red Listattributed factthe global conservation status
  • USGS NASpublic domainnative / introduced status
  • Natural Earthpublic domainthe relief basemap
  • USFSpublic domainnational-forest boundaries