Two separate orca (killer whale) pods have been sighted in the past week, off of Half Moon Bay and in the Gulf of the Farallones. Both pods are usually located in the Puget Sound of Washington State. It is unusual to see orcas in this area, and experts believe they have traveled south in search of feeding grounds (these orcas mostly feed on salmon).
Hopefully, the orcas will scare off the great white sharks for a spell and those waves on the Farallones (see The Surfer’s Journal, Vol. 17, No. 4) can finally be surfed.
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Oracas are divided into several groups. They are seen off Monterey bay often.
Resident: These are the most commonly sighted of the three populations in the coastal waters of the northeast Pacific, including Puget Sound. The resident Killer Whales’ diet consists primarily of fish and sometimes squid, and they live in complex and cohesive family groups. Pods possess lifelong family bonds, often living in large matrilineal groups and vocalizing in highly variable and complex dialects. “The basic unit of resident Orca society is a mother, all of her dependent offspring (approximately ten years or younger), and her adult offspring as well, including her sons. Females will eventually spend less time with their mothers, as they begin producing calves of their own, but resident males appear to remain with their mothers for their entire lives. They leave for short periods to mate outside of their maternal group, but return to their mother afterwards.”[12] Female residents characteristically have a rounded dorsal fin tip that terminates in a sharp corner. They are known to visit the same areas consistently. The resident populations of British Columbia and Washington are amongst the most intensely studied marine mammals ever. Researchers have identified and named over 300 Killer Whales over the past 30 years.
Transient: The diet of these Killer Whales consists almost exclusively of marine mammals; they do not eat fish. Transients in southern Alaska generally travel in small groups, usually of two to six animals. Unlike residents, transients may not always stay together as a family unit. Pods consist of smaller groups with less persistent family bonds and vocalizing in less variable and less complex dialects. Female transients are characterized by dorsal fins that are more triangular and pointed than those of residents. The gray or white area around the dorsal fin, known as the “saddle patch”, often contains some black coloring in residents. However, the saddle patches of transients are solid and uniformly gray. Transients roam widely along the coast—some individuals have been sighted in Southern Alaska and later in California.
Offshore: These Killer Whales were discovered in 1988 when a humpback whale researcher signaled to Killer Whale researchers Michael Bigg and Graeme Ellis that he saw Killer Whales in open water. These Killer Whales cruise the open oceans and feed primarily on fish, sharks and sea turtles. They have been seen traveling in groups of up to 60 animals. Currently, there is little known about the habits of this population, but they can be distinguished genetically from the residents and transients. Female offshores are characterized by dorsal fin tips that are continuously rounded.
Saw one blow its spout around 2:30 on Wednesday as I was walking into Wise to drop off some Surf For Life fliers… I wasn’t sure what it was at first, but based upon the size of the water spout I assume it had to be a whale… or one massive dolphin… but I assume the former…
carl, you have crazy knowledge on Orca’s… you a marine biologist or something?
Orcas are in the dolphin family