Orcas battle humpbacks in interspecies skirmish caught on camera off Vancouver Island
An international whale watching and conservation group says some of its members came across a rare and dramatic encounter between orcas and humpbacks off Vancouver Island this week.
According to the Pacific Whale Watch Association, a large group of transient orcas – also known as Bigg's orcas – were seen harassing a pair of humpback whales near the maritime border between the U.S. and Canada Thursday morning.
The incident began shortly after 11 a.m. in the Juan de Fuca Strait, roughly 40 kilometres west of Victoria and Port Angeles, Wash., the PWWA said in a news release.
"Crew members with Eagle Wing Tours were the first to locate a group of approximately 15 killer whales being unusually active at the surface," the group said in its statement.
"Not long afterward, another whale watcher, captain Jimmy Zakreski of BC Whale Tours discovered the likely cause of the orcas’ excitement: two humpback whales in their midst."
The PWWA says it's not unprecedented for orcas to attack humpbacks, but it's a rare occurrence, as they typically hunt smaller prey like seals, sea lions and porpoises.
The group says there have been no recorded instances of orcas killing humpback whales in B.C. waters, though it expects conflicts between the two species to increase in the coming years, as both transient orca and humpback populations in the region have been growing.
"According to observers who came and went throughout the day, the encounter included an astonishing three hours of breaching, tail-slapping, and loud vocalizations before all of the whales disappeared into the fog, keeping the final outcome of the melee a mystery," the PWWA said of Thursday's incident.
Bigg's orcas clash with humpback whale "Reaper." Photo: Mollie Naccarato, Sooke Coastal Explorations, PWWA
Researchers have identified the humpbacks involved as BCX1948 "Reaper" and BCY1000 "Hydra," while the orcas involved are believed to belong to pods more commonly found on the outer coast than in the strait, according to the association.
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around it because it was absolutely unbelievable,” said Mollie Naccarato, captain and naturalist for Sooke Coastal Explorations, in the PWWA release.
“At first, the orcas seemed to be chasing the humpbacks, but then when it seemed there was space between them, the humpbacks would go back toward the orcas.”
The PWWA says its members hope to encounter Reaper and Hydra again before they begin their annual winter migration.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Bayer recalls hydraSense baby product over 'potential contamination'
Bayer announced Thursday it is recalling two lots of its hydraSense Baby Nasal Care Easydose due to a potential contamination.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.