Photos: Orcas are the stars of a Resurrection Bay boat tour prime for wildlife viewing

SEWARD — Kenai Fjords National Park is home to a large variety of wildlife, including humpback whales, sea lions, seals and smaller cetaceans like Dall porpoises and orcas, also known as killer whales.

There are three genetically distinct groups of orcas seen in Kenai Fjords National Park: resident, transient, and offshore. Resident orcas prefer to eat fish, especially silver salmon, and are most often seen in the area when salmon return.

One of the best times to see orcas in Kenai Fjords National Park is from mid-May to mid-June, and tour boats operating out of Seward offer half- and full-day excursions into the park. Major Marine Tours has a half-day “Orca Quest” tour, and Kenai Fjords Tours has recently reported orca sightings on their half-day “Gray Whale Watch” tour and the full-day “National Park” tour.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Kenai Fjords National Park is not designated as a national preserve.