Above; Kalia and Orkid playing, by Brian Scott.

This page will be a list of quality books and movies featuring orcas, or other whales and dolphins. If you've seen any other books/movies/other media sources that you think are good information sources, feel free to inform me that I've blatantly missed one by emailing me.

First off, the orca bibles...

Fondly called the "Orca Bibles" by most orca-lovers, these two books are essential for anyone who is interested in wild orcas. Besides the fact that 30 years of ground-breaking research (the first study of its kind, back then) are crammed between the covers, ID photos of all the orcas living in BC are readily available inside. Family trees, tidbits and beautiful photographs complete the book. The only thing I have to complain about is they haven't released a new edition in 7 years! Since then, about 70 whales have been born and about 50 have died. So, when you do get these awesome books, you might want to update them a little. However, it's been promised that a new edition will be coming out within the next year!
Written by John Ford, Graeme Ellis and Kenneth Balcomb (he only co-wrote the resident one).

Orca, The Whale Called Killer

Another 'bible' of sorts for orca-lovers, there are 2 editions of "Orca, The Whale Called Killer", the most recent being in 1990. So yes, it's also very out of date and hard to find. In this case, however, that's a good thing. Erich Hoyt, whale researcher extraordinaire, was with the resident study the first few years, and he chronicles fascinating facts about the early years of the study. Wonderful stories about Stubbs, Nicola, and Wavy abound, as well as many other older whales. Perhaps just as valuable as the well-written chapters, the indexes have records on orca food, captures, and detailed records about captivity. Invaluable to any orca lover!
Written by Erich Hoyt.

Every Alex Morton book, of course!

Alexandra Morton is one of the best whale-writers out there, and a fantastic researcher to boot! She has 4 fantastic orca books, all of which you should read. "Listening to Whales: What the Orcas Have Taught Us" will simply blow you away, as she recounts her struggles and triumphs as a whale researcher, complete with fascinating tibits about many resident and transient pods. "Siwiti" is an adorable story for young kids, complete with gorgeous photos, about the first year of a whale's life. "In the Company of Whales: From the Diary of a Whale-Watcher" is for kids, but everyone should read it as it really tells what's it like to be out on the water every day to see those amazing whales. And finally, her most recent, "Beyond the Whales: The Photographs and Passions of Alexandra Morton" is a stunning book with stunning photos. Although it doesn't focus solely on whales, it is still a treasured glimpse into a beautiful coast. Go, read them all now!
All books written by Alexandra Morton