Risso's dolphins observed near Hoonah

Observation by Barb Lake:

A small pod of Risso's dolphins was seen in Hoonah and good photos were posted to the Juneau Orca Sightings Facebook group. There were multiple sightings throughout Lynn Canal and Icy Straight for about a week.

LEO Says:

This is the first LEO post about Risso dolphins in Alaska. There is however, another article with an unusual range sighting from Iceland. See Dolphin Species Never Before Seen in Iceland Beaches in Northwest. We have included some reference information from NOAA Fisheries, and we reached out to Bruce Wright, a marine researcher with the Knik Tribe, and Barbara Mahoney with NOAA Fisheries for more information.

Consult by Bruce Wright:

This is a new Alaska species for me, and makes me wonder what they are eating. The Southeast Alaska squid resource might be the attraction because it’s always about food!

Consult by Barbara Mahoney:

During May 2024, there were multiple Risso’s dolphin sightings in and around Icy Strait and Lynn Canal. On 16 May 2024, videos were taken of the Risso’s dolphins near Juneau. It is very likely that this one group of Risso’s dolphins swam around southeast Alaska in May 2024, and maybe this same dolphin group returned in May 2025.

Consult by Michelle Dutro:

About a year later, on 15 May 2025, Brendan Jackson and Brad Garasky (Alaska State Parks, DNR) took a video of a small group, at least six, of Risso’s dolphins swimming near Benjamin Island, just outside Juneau. Although the dolphins were at a good distance, experts were able to identify the species.