Whale experts and observers have been amazed by a number of orca appearances along the southern California shoreline, which are being characterized as “exceptionally uncommon”.
In the past two weeks, a pod of 10 whales, including a young calf, has been observed off the southern California coast, specifically between Oxnard and San Diego. Photos shared on social media capture the impressive sight of these massive animals jumping out of the water to catch dolphins, and even getting close to boats carrying excited spectators.
The orcas living in the eastern tropical Pacific, found near Mexico and Central America, are known as the whales. They can sometimes be seen as far as Hawaii. According to Jessica Rodriguez, the education and communications manager at Newport Landing & Davey’s Locker Whale Watching, whale watching boats are extra vigilant during December and January. However, spotting a large number of orcas in this area is uncommon.
She explains that these specific killer whales are typically found in Mexico and South America. It is uncommon to spot them off the coast of Orange County, and to have multiple sightings over the span of two weeks is even more rare.
During the autumn of 2018, a pod of whales from the eastern tropical Pacific region stayed in the vicinity for 10 days. However, in the current year, their presence has extended even further and there have been a greater number of interactions with these magnificent creatures.
The reason for the increased presence of whales in this area this year is still unknown, but there are potential explanations. According to Rodriguez, one possibility is that they are lingering due to the higher water temperatures caused by this year’s El Niño.
“They typically inhabit warm waters and have a preference for the warmer waters near the coast of Baja,” she states.
Alisa Schulman-Janiger, the lead research biologist for the California Killer Whale Project, suggests that the large numbers of bottlenose and common dolphins, which are the main prey of killer whales, may be a factor in keeping the orcas in the area. While there are also dolphins in Mexico, Schulman-Janiger believes that the megapods of dolphins in California, which can reach thousands in number, are less aware of the danger posed by killer whales and therefore easier to capture.
Limited information is available about orcas in this area, as conducting scientific research across borders is difficult. Their main diet consists of marine mammals, including dolphins, but they can also hunt fish and sharks. In 2008, Noaa created a record of 192 known individual killer whales belonging to 52 distinct groups residing in this region. It is likely that there are even more present now, as many of the whales were juveniles at the time.
This presents a unique opportunity for both researchers and those interested in whales. According to Schulman-Janiger, this is an exceptional chance for us to observe these whales, including two young calves. Scientists are eager to study their feeding habits, sharing of prey, and interactions with each other and boats.
after newsletter promotion
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, approximately 105 mammal-eating killer whales reside in California waters throughout the year. Other types, such as offshore killer whales that primarily consume sharks and rays, and the well-known Southern Residents from the Pacific Northwest, also pass through the area. However, it is unlikely that these groups will interact with each other, as noted by Schulman-Janiger.
Observing the orcas in the eastern tropical Pacific has been a unique experience. These animals are highly sociable, intelligent, and prioritize family bonds. They are also a dominant predator, and are considered the largest type of dolphin. According to Rodriguez, she has witnessed 20-ft long orcas jumping 10 ft into the air to catch their prey, and then distributing the meal among the entire pod. On occasion, they will also injure a dolphin in order to allow the younger orcas to practice making the final kill.
Several whale watching captains have reported that this particular group of whales is unusually friendly towards boats. They seem unbothered by humans watching them while they hunt, which is not common. According to Schulman-Janiger, the whales may view the wake of the boats as a chance to surf for fun. Rodriguez describes the whales as being as enthusiastic about being photographed as teenagers, posing for the camera. He also mentions that they often swim up to the boat and pause to gaze at the people on board.
The whales even use the boats as a tool to hunt: they position themselves next to boats to block echolocation from approaching dolphins and then dive under the boat and push the dolphin to the sky. That makes for spectacular scenes for whale-peeping humans on board.
According to Rodriguez, the sight of these creatures is incredibly thrilling for many individuals. Ultimately, our goal is to inspire a sense of awe and gratitude for the ocean in order to encourage the conservation and observation of whales in their natural habitat.
Source: theguardian.com
