A1 Pod

It currently consists of 3 matrilines and 20 members and is the most commonly encountered pod in the Northern resident killer whale community.

Bigg’s pioneering photo-identification system actually originates from the regular encounter of a female whale with a distinctively torn dorsal fin.

Another female orca belonging to Stubbs’s pod also had a very recognizable dorsal fin with a big nick on the lower edge and was named A2, but became better known as Nicola.

Today, the A1 matrilines are typically encountered separately and the coherence of A1 pod as a group is sometimes debated.

Sophia was also thought to be the sister of a large bull named Hardy (A20) (sometimes called Sturdy).

One good example of the stability of killer whale society and especially of the bonds that unite brothers was when Sophia died in 1997.

As the A36s solely consisted of bulls, they were a very recognizable group and are sometimes called “The Brothers” or “The Guys”.

During the summer months, they spend a substantial amount of time with A4 and A5 pod who are their closest relatives.

They can be seen in the winter in the northern Johnstone Strait region and spend an important part of their time in the Broughton Archipelago.