Photo: Killer Whale Dorsal Fin

A large male Killer Whale surfaces off Northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia showing off his large dorsal fin.

A large male Killer Whale surfaces in the waters off Northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada giving passengers aboard a whale watching excursion a good view. The mist from his blowhole surfaces around the Killer Whale as the water trickles off his back side and around the base of his dorsal fin.The tip of a dorsal fin on a full grown male Killer Whale will surface sometime before the rest of the whale, giving people a little more time to capture a photo. On a male Killer Whale, the dorsal fin can reach heights of up to six feet and if they are traveling slow enough, it seems to take forever before the black and white body appears.A dorsal fin on a female usually only grows to a maximum of about four feet high, but they are usually curved back so they do not seem nearly as large as the male's. On both a female and male Killer Whale, the dorsal fin acts a keel and it is very possible that it helps stabilize the whale. ... continue below the picture...

... The dorsal fin, along with the saddle patch is how researchers tell each Killer Whale apart and which family they belong too, as well as the different calls they make. Seeing these magnificent marine mammals in their natural environment off Northern Vancouver Island is an experience that everyone should try.Killer Whales off Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada