Scientists and observers of whales have been amazed by a sequence of killer whale appearances along the coast of southern California that are being characterized as “exceptionally uncommon”.
For the past two weeks, a pod of 10 whales, which includes a young calf, has been seen off the southern coast of California, between Oxnard and San Diego. Pictures on social media display the massive animals jumping out of the water to capture dolphins and getting very close to boats filled with excited spectators.
The whales are part of the population of the eastern tropical Pacific orcas that reside off the waters of Mexico and Central America, but can also venture as far west as Hawaii. Whale watching boats typically go on high alert in the months of December and January, says Jessica Rodriguez, the education and communications manager at Newport Landing & Davey’s Locker Whale Watching, but she says that catching a glimpse of so many orcas in this location is highly unusual.
According to her, 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 having multiple sightings over a two-week period is even more rare.
During autumn of 2018, a pod of whales originating from the eastern tropical Pacific inhabited the region for 10 days. However, this year’s stay has extended further and there have been a higher number of interactions with the whales.
The reason for the increased presence of whales in this area is uncertain, but there are some potential explanations. According to Rodriguez, one possibility is that they are attracted by the warmer waters associated with this year’s El Niño.
“She mentions that they are typically killer whales who prefer warmer waters, and they tend to congregate in the warmer waters near the coast of Baja.”
According to Alisa Schulman-Janiger, the principal researcher at the California Killer Whale Project, the large presence of their main targets, bottlenose and common dolphins, may be a factor in keeping the killer whales in the area. While there are also dolphins in Mexico, Schulman-Janiger believes that the massive groups of dolphins in California, often consisting of thousands, are less experienced in recognizing danger from killer whales, making them more vulnerable to capture.
There is limited information available about orcas in this area due to the difficulties of conducting cross-border scientific research. Their primary diet consists of marine mammals, specifically dolphins, although they may also hunt fish and sharks. In 2008, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) created a list of confirmed individual killer whales in this region, totaling 192 from 52 separate groups. It is likely that there are currently more than this number, as many of the orcas are still young.
This presents a valuable opportunity for researchers and those interested in whales. According to Schulman-Janiger, “We have a unique chance to observe and record these whales, including two young calves.” The scientists aim to document their feeding habits, sharing of prey, and interactions with both each other and boats.
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There are approximately 105 killer whales that reside in the California waters all year round, according to the Alaska department of fish and game. These whales are known to feed on mammals. In addition, other types of killer whales such as offshore killer whales, who prey on sharks and rays, and the well-known Southern Residents from the Pacific northwest, also pass through this area. According to Schulman-Janiger, these groups are not likely to come into contact with one another.
Observing the orcas in the eastern tropical Pacific has been a unique experience. They possess social skills, intelligence, and a strong sense of family, making them the largest type of dolphin and an apex predator. Rodriguez reports witnessing 20-ft long orcas jump 10 ft into the air to capture their prey, and then distribute the meal among the entire pod. Occasionally, they also injure a dolphin to allow the younger ones to practice their hunting skills.
Several of the captains who lead whale watching tours have noticed that this particular group of whales is unusually friendly towards boats. They seem unbothered by the presence of 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 play and surf. Rodriguez described the whales as being like teenagers on social media, posing for the camera and getting close to the boat to look 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, observing these animals is a source of great excitement for many people. Ultimately, our goal is to inspire a sense of awe and gratitude for the ocean, in order to encourage conservation efforts and respectful observation of whales.
Source: theguardian.com
