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DECEMBER 2025 MONTEREY BAY WHALE WATCH MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS

MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS IN THE MONTEREY BAY

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

December 2025 
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Note — This list 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.

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)
12/30 2:30 p.m. 5 Humpback whales
1 Steller sea lion
12/30 1:30 p.m. 7 Humpback whales
12/30 10 a.m. 4 Gray whales
12/30 9 a.m. 6 Gray whales
12/29 3 p.m. 5 Humpback whales
200 Pacific white-sided dolphin
100 Northern right whale dolphin
12/29 1:30 p.m. 6 Orcas (CA202s)
2 Humpback whales
200 Pacific white-sided dolphin
100 Northern right whale dolphin
12/29 10 a.m. 6 Orcas (CA202s)
8 Humpback whales
12/29 9 a.m. 3 Humpback whales
4 Gray whales
6 Pacific white-sided dolphin
12 Risso’s dolphin
12/28 2:30 p.m. 5 Gray whales
12/28 1:30 p.m. 1 Humpback whales
3 Gray whales
15 Risso’s dolphin
12/28 10 a.m. 2 Humpback whales
1 Gray whale
12/28 9 a.m. 5 Humpback whales
3 Gray whales
15 Risso’s dolphin
12/27 2:30 p.m. 1 Humpback whales
12/27 1:30 p.m. 1 Humpback whales
12/27 10 a.m. 4 Humpback whales
2 Ashy storm petrels
2 Mola mola
12/27 9 a.m. 7 Humpback whales
12/23 9 a.m. 18 Humpback whales (breaching)
12/22 9 a.m. 23 Humpback whales
12/20 1:30 p.m. 10 Humpback whales
12/20 9 a.m. 12 Humpback whales
12/18 9 a.m. 17 Humpback whales
12/17 1:30 p.m. 11 Humpback whales
12/17 9 a.m. 12 Humpback whales
12/16 1:30 p.m. 11 Orcas (CA49Cs, CA122Ds, CA202s)
6 Humpback whales
12/16 9 a.m. 11 Orcas (CA49Cs, CA122Ds, CA202s)
8 Humpback whales
12/15 9 a.m. 5 Orca (CA49Cs + CA122Ds)
10 Humpback whales
400 Pacific white-sided dolphin
300 Risso’s dolphin
100 Northern right whale dolphin
12/14 1:30 p.m. 8 Humpback whales
12/14 9 a.m. 10 Humpback whales
1000 Risso’s dolphin
200 Pacific white-sided dolphin
1 Thresher shark
6 Mola mola
12/13 1:30 p.m. 10 Humpback whales (tail lobbing)
12/13 9 a.m. 8 Humpback whales
12/12 9 a.m. 20 Humpback whales
4 Dall’s porpoise
12/11 9 a.m. 23 Humpback whales
12 Bottlenose dolphin
12/10 9 a.m. 1 Fin whale
14 Humpback whales
1 Black-footed albatross
12/9 1:30 p.m. 8-10 Orca
1 Humpback whale
12/8 1:30 p.m 12 Humpback whales
12/8 9 a.m. 7 Humpback whales
500 Pacific white-sided dolphin
500 Northern right whale dolphin
12/7 1:30 p.m. 9 Humpback whales
12/7 9 a.m. 5 Humpback whales
1 Fin whale
12/6 1:30 p.m. 6 Humpback whales
200 Pacific white-sided dolphin
15 Northern right whale dolphin
12/6 9 a.m. 10 Humpback whales (feeding with sea lions)
1 Laysan albatross (rare!)
18 Ancient murrelets
1 Cassin’s auklet
1 Pomarine jaeger
6 Mola mola
12/3 1:30 p.m. 2 Humpback whales (Angel Wing
2 Mola mola
12/3 9 a.m. 3 Humpback whales
1 Mola mola
1 Black-footed albatross
12/2 9 a.m. 7 Humpback whales
12/1 9 a.m. 25 Humpback whales (feeding frenzy)
Photos © 2025 Daniel Bianchetta and Morgan Quimby

 

 

Whale tail splashing in ocean water against a clear blue sky.

Gray whale fluking up to dive (December 29, 2025)

 

Two killer whales swimming in rough ocean waters with a coastline in the background.

Young orca calf (still showing its orange coloration) surfacing next to its mother (December 29, 2025)

 

Whale breaching in the ocean with mountains in the background.

Risso’s dolphin breaching (December 28, 2025)

 

A pod of orcas swimming in the ocean with a hilly shoreline in the background.

Orca pod traveling (December 16, 2025)

 

Orca tail fin rising from ocean with mountains in background.

Orca waving its flukes at the surface (December 16, 2025)

 

Group of orcas swimming with a background of distant buildings on the shoreline.

Orca pod circling a raft of sea lions during a hunting training session for the calves (December 16, 2025)

 

Orca swimming in the ocean with its dorsal fin and head visible above water.

Orca calf surfacing next to its mother (December 16, 2025)

 

Orca breaching the ocean surface with hills in the background.

Orca breaching close to the boat (December 16, 2025)

 

Orca breaching in open water with coastline and buildings in the background.

Orca breaching and showing their beautiful belly markings (December 16, 2025)

 

Whale tail splashing in ocean with two birds flying and distant hills in background.

Male Orca tail lobbing (December 16, 2025)

 

Orca breaching the ocean surface with mountains and cloudy sky in the background.

Orca breaching with the beautiful coast in the background (December 16, 2025)

 

Orca partially emerging from ocean with distant blurred coastline visible.

Orca spy hopping (December 15, 2025)

 

Large fish jumping out of the water, surrounded by ocean waves and splashes.

Breaching Mola mola (December 14, 2025)

 

Dolphin leaping out of the water in a mid-air spin against a backdrop of ocean waves.

Pacific white-sided dolphin mid backflip (December 14, 2025)

 

Dolphin leaping out of the ocean against a distant coastline backdrop.

Pacific white-sided dolphin mid backflip (December 14, 2025)

 

Dolphin surfacing in ocean, showing head and dorsal fin.

Risso’s dolphin spy hopping with her calf surfacing close behind her (December 14, 2025)

 

Humpback whale tail breaching the ocean surface with water splash.

Angel Wing the Humpback whale tail lobbing (December 13, 2025)

 

Whale tail above water with a bird flying nearby, ocean and misty hills in background.

Angel Wing the Humpback whale tail slapping (December 13, 2025)

 

A whale breaching the ocean surface with a bird flying above.

Humpback whale chin slapping (December 11, 2025)

 

Seal jumping from ocean near another seal with rocky shore in background.

California sea lion pair jumping around (December 11, 2025)

 

Whale partially submerged in ocean water, creating a splash around its body.

Fin whale surfacing (December 10, 2025)

 

A dolphin jumping out of the ocean water with waves splashing around.

Pacific white-sided dolphin porpoising (December 8, 2025)

 

A dolphin leaping out of the water in a blue ocean.

Northern right whale dolphin porpoising (December 8, 2025)

 

Group of whales surfacing in ocean with seagulls flying above, mountains in background.

Trio of Humpback whales lunge feeding (December 8, 2025)

 

A blue whale's back surfaces in the ocean, surrounded by calm waves.

Fin whale rostrum as it surfaces (December 7, 2025)

 

Dolphin leaping out of the ocean water with a clear sky in the background.

Pacific white-sided dolphin breaching (December 6, 2025)

 

Whale spouting rainbow mist with birds flying over the ocean.

Humpback whale exhale blow creating a “rainblow” (December 6, 2025)

 

Seals swimming near a whale's fluke in ocean waves.

Humpback whale feeding alongside sea lions (December 6, 2025)

 

Albatross gliding over the ocean with wings outstretched, against a clear blue sky.

Laysan albatross soaring over the swells – a rare sight we only get to see a few times a year! (December 6, 2025)

 

Close-up of a pelican's head and beak, showing details of its eye and plumage.

Brown pelican close up (December 3, 2025)

 

Black and white image of two humpback whales surfacing in ocean.

Feeding group of three Humpback whales surfacing and fluking up in the swell (December 1, 2025)

 

 

 

 

Photos © 2025 Daniel Bianchetta and Morgan Quimby

Copyright © 2025 Monterey Bay Whale Watch, LLC. No use of the sightings information is permitted without prior approval.