A close and “rare” orca encounter played out in the waters off NSW yesterday, with the apex predator suspected of hunting a pod of humpback whales making their southbound migration to Antarctica.
Whale watchers onboard Port Jet cruises off Port Macquarie were shocked when the black and white mammals pulled up alongside their boat.
Shortly after this close encounter a “massive” pod of humpback whales were spied, and would not leave the vessel.
Wildlife scientist Dr Vanessa Pirotta said initial reports suggest the orcas, otherwise known as killer whales, were predating on the humpbacks.
While she’s awaiting video confirmation, she said if it proves true it provides an invaluable glimpse into orca behavior.
“Whale watchers documented the humpback whales they were observing behaving strangely and oddly,” she said, adding humpback predation by killer whales has previously been documented off the West Coast of Australia.
“This corresponds with the presence of killer whales.”
“The presence of orca along the east coast is not a daily occurrence and the observation of whale predation is extra interesting,” she said.
“We don’t often see orcas along the east coast of Australia…I’ve only seen orcas once in Australian waters off Eden in 2009.
“This sighting is a valuable contribution to our knowledge of orca presence and behaviour on the east coast of Australia.
Pirotta added both the orcas’ behaviour and choice of hunting grounds “is rare”.
The sighting comes just over a week after a NSW man and his wife had a close encounter with orcas off Narooma on the south coast.
Pirotta said the Port Macquarie pod could either be from a local populations – of which there are three – or further abroad.
“It could be a separate east coast population or individuals from an unknown location passing through,” she said, explaining there’s a north west and south western Australian killer whale population, as well as a New Zealand one.
“These animals are capable of large geographical movements.”
“Orcas can turn up when we least expect it.”
“Photos of individuals will help us determine if these are known individuals or new killer whales observed passing through these waters.”
